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NOTES, 

CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL, 

ON THE BOOKS OF 

JOSHUA AND JUDGES, 

DESIGNED AS A GENERAL HELP TO 

BIBLICAL READING AND INSTRUCTION. 



BY 



GEORGE BUSH, 

• <~ — x 

PROF. HEB. AND ORIENT. LIT., N. Y. CITY UNIVERSITY. 



NEW-YORK: 
E. FRENCH, 146 NASSAU-STREET. 

18 38. 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, by Eli French, in the 
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, in the 
Clerk's office of the southern district of New- York. 



I 



Printed by W. Molineux, corner of Chatham 
and Roosevelt Streets. 




PREFACE 



A very slight inspection of the pages of the present 
work will disclose to the reader its general character, and 
enable him to judge how far it is likely to supply an existing 
desideratum. Little, therefore, need be said by way of 
preface. My main object has been to afford facilities for 
the correct understanding of the sacred text — to aid the 
student of the Bible in ascertaining with the utmost prac 
ticable exactness the genuine sense of the original. With 
such an object in view it was perhaps impossible to avoid 
giving the work an aspect predominantly critical; and yet 
unless I have utterly missed my aim, there will be found 
such a union of the critical and the practical, as to adapt 
the volume somewhat happily to popular use. Should this 
prove not to be the case, I shall feel that the failure has 
been rather in the execution, than in the plan ; for I know 
no reason to suppose that the two departments are intrin- 
sically incompatible, or that the two-fold function of the 
exegelical and the ethical expositor may not be united in 
the same person. 



• 2 PREFACE. 

No one at all conversant with the subject of biblical 
annotation but must be aware, that there is a large mass of 
materials accumulated by the critical toil of prior commen- 
tators, and constituting a kind of common property, of which 
each successive laborer in the field feels at libery to avail 
himself. The propriety of this is universally conceded, 
provided he sets up no special claim to what he finds thus 
made ready to his hands. Indeed it is quite obvious that the 
credit of originality in this department cannot be secured, 
but at the expense of the greatest measure of utility — an 
expense which I have not seen fit to incur. I have ac- 
cordingly availed myself freely of all accessible sources of 
Scripture elucidation that could be made subservient to 
my plan, and have frequently interwoven with my own re^ 
marks phrases and sentences, and, in some cases, para- 
graphs, without the formality of express quotation. But 
however large may be my acknowledgement of indebted- 
ness on this score, it is but justice to myself to say, that I 
have generally weighed in my own scales the evidence for 
or against a particular rendering or interpretation, and 
that after every abatement, much, very much, will be 
found in the present volume not to be met with any where 
else. Of the intrinsic value of these portions of the work, 
the estimate, of course, must be left to those for whose 
benefit it has been prepared. 

It is my purpose, should a favorable Providence per- 
mit, to go over all the historical books of the Old Testa- 
ment on the same plan. Other indispensable engagements 
may make the intervals of publication somewhat wide, but 
the matter of a similar volume to the present on the book of 



PREFACE. 3 

Genesis is already in a considerable state of forwardness, 
and will probably be ready for the press in the course of 
the ensuing year ; to be followed as speedily as possible by 
a series of volumes on the remaining books of the Penta- 
teuch. 

G. B. 

New-York, June 1st, 1837. 



THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 



THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 



INTRODUCTION. 



I. — Author and Age. 

This is the first book in the sacred canon called after the name of an 
individual. Of the books thus distinguished, some bear the name of their 
authors — as all the books of Prophecy; and others, those of persons who 
act a conspicuous part in the transactions recorded — as Ruth, Job, and 
others. The present book might well be called ' the Book of Joshua'* on 
the latter ground, as it exclusively relates to the proceedings of that great 
leader, in fulfillment of the high commission entrusted to him, and ter- 
minates with his death. If, however, as many critics suppose, Joshua 
himself was the author of ihe book, it has a two-fold claim to be distin- 
guished by his name. But the true authorship and date of the book have 
never been, and probably never can be, satisfactorily ascertained ; and it 
would be to little profit to canvass the different hypotheses which have 
been advanced upon the subject. The sum of the matter seems to be, (1.) 
That the book was either written by Joshua towards the close of his life — 
the five last verses being added by" a properly authorised person after his 
death — or, (2.) That it was wholly written after his demise from docu- 
ments penned by him or under his direction. These are the substantial 
alternatives; and it cannot be very material which of them is adopted, as 
the genuineness and canonical authority of the book is in either case left 
entirely unaffected. If it were not written by Joshua himself, a com- 
parison of ch. 15. 63, with 2 Sam. 5. 6 — 8, respecting the capture of a 
part of Jerusalem, will make it quite evident that it must have been 
written before the seventh year of David's reign. But it may be safely 
admitted, that even on the supposition that the substance of the book was 
indited by Joshua, there are in addition to the n>e last verses, several 
others interspersed which could not have been written by him, but were 
inserted by a later hand ; and the above for aught that appears, may 
have been of the number. But passages of this description are few and 
brief, and do not materially affect the plausibility of the opinion which 
ascribes the authorship of the book to the personage whose name it bears. 
This opinion is confirmed, though not established, by the fact, that the 
general voice of Jewish tradition assigns to the book the same author. 

II. — Contents , Scope and Design. 

The book relates the history of Israel while under the command and 
government of Joshua ; the entrance of the Hebrews into Canaan ; their 



D INTRODUCTION. 

conquest of the greater part of the country ; the division of the territory 
by lot among the several tribes; and the provision made for the settle- 
ment and establishment of the Jewish church in that country. The length 
of time embraced in this history is variously stated by chronologists, at 
seventeen, twenty-seven, and thirty years. Between twenty-six and 
twenty-seven years is the usually received and most probe ble period. 
The leading drift of the writer is to demonstrate the faithfulness of God 
in the perfect accomplishment of all his promises to the patriarchs, Abra- 
ham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and also to Moses, that the children of 
Israel should obtain possession of the land of Canaan. Viewed in this 
light, it is an invaluable appendage to the preceding five books of Moses, 
and indeed bears to them very much the same relation as does the Acts 
of the Apostles to the Gospels of the four Evangelists. The inspired 
historian relates, with all the animation of one who was an actual eye- 
witness and participator of the scenes described, the successive miracles 
that favored and secured the conquest of the country, the general zeal, 
activity, and obedience of Israel in prosecuting their wars, with the oc- 
casional lapses and transgressions that interrupted the career of their 
victories. We see the divine power and faithfulness conspicuously dis- 
played in guiding, cherishing, and defending the chosen people amidst 
all the trials to which they were exposed; and while the general tenor of 
the narrative affords a striking emblem of the warfare of the Christian 
in gaining possession of his heavenly inheritance, it ministers the most 
abundant encouragement to those who in sincerity and faith throw 
themselves upon the superintending care of that Being, who keepetlu 
covenant and mercy for ever. 

III. — Commentators. 

Andre je Mash. Josihv, Tmperatoris Historia illustrata atqm 
explicata. Antvei pice, 1574. Fol. 

Masius, though' a lawyer and a Catholic, has produced by far the most 
elaborate work ever published on the book of Joshua, and incompanbly 
the most valuable commentary, with the single exception of that of Cal- 
met, to which the Roman church can lay claim. Considering the ege in 
which it was written, and the limited facilities which the author could 
.have enjoyed for such a performance, it is truly a remarkable work, and 
it will rather enhance the reader's estimation of its merit to know, that it 
,comes within the list of books prohibited by the Papal see — a fate which 
we might be certain a priori its excellence would secure to it. Pool, in 
the preface to his Synopsis, says of Masius, ' Vir longiore vita et hnmor- 
tali memoria dignus ; interpres cui parem ingenio, judicio, rerum ac 
linguarum peritia, candore et medestia, baud facile reperies/— A man 
worthy of a longer life and of an undying celebrity ; an interpreter, ichose 
equal in talent, judgment, historical knowledge, skill in languages^ candor 
and modesty, is not easily lobe found, Similar commendation is bestowed 
by Buddeus, Walchius and other bibliographers upon the commentary of 
JViasius, and from having it constantly before me in the preparation of 
the ensuing notes, I feel no hesitation in subscribing to the general justice 
of these encomiums. The work contains, besides the commentary, the 
book of Joshua in the original Hebrew, with the Greek of the £eptuagint 
and a three-fold Latin translation, together with a preface containing 
valuable readings to the Greek, from a manuscript copy in his possession, 
which since his death has unfortunately been lost to the learned world. 



, INTRODUCTION. / 

Sebast. Schmidii. Prce J ecliones academicce in octo priora 
libri Josuce capita. Hamburgi, 1693. 4to. 

For the character of Schmid as a Scriptural critic, see the list of 
Commentators prefixed to the book of Judges. His Prelections on Joshua, 
which were arrested by the death of the author at the eighth chapter, are 
of similar character and value with those on the succeeding book. 

Victor Strigelii. Liber Josuce argumentis et scholiis illus- 
tratus. Lips. 1570, 1576. 8vo. 

David CHVTRiEi. Prcelecliones in librum Josuce. Ros- 
tochii, 1577. 8vo. 

Nicol. Serarit. Commentarius in Librum Josuce. Duob. 
Tom. Mogunt. 1609. Pans. 1610. Fol. 

Jac. Bonfrerit. Josua 9 Judices, et Ruth commentario illus- 
trati. Paris. 1631. Fol. 

H. E. G. Paulus. Blicke in das Buck Josua, als Vorges- 
chickte der Saff etin und Samuels, in auctoris Theologisch-Exege- 
tischen Conservator ium, P. II. p. 149 et seq. Heidelberg. 1822. 

F. J. V. D. Maurer. Commentar uber das Buck Joshua. 
Stuttgard, 1831. 8vo. 



THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. 



N 



CHAPTER I. 

W after the death of Moses, 
the servant of the Lord, it 



CHAPTER I. 
1. Ntto after the death of Moses, 
Heb. ' And after,' &c. The use of the 
copulative ' and' brings this book into 
immediate connection with the fore- 
going — the last chapter of which is 
supposed also to have been written 
by Joshua — and so makes it a regu- 
lar continuation of the sacred narra- 
tive begun and carried on by Moses 
through the five preceding books. 
The ancient division of the Scrip- 
tures into sections and books was less 
clearly marked than at present, as 
in those early ages several books 
were connected together, and fol- 
lowed each other on the same roll, 
so that it might not always be per- 
fectly easy to tell where one ended, 
and the other began. — The time re- 
ferred to at the opening of this book, 
was probably at the conclusion of 
the thirty days mourning for Moses. 
spoken of Deut. 34. 8; or it might 
have been during that period; in 
which time also it is the opinion of 
some commentators that the spies, 
(chap. 2. 1.) were sent out. IT The 
Lord spake unto Joshua. Of the 
manner of this communication we 
are not expressly informed. From 
the fact that Moses and Joshua, just 
before the death of the former, were 
summoned together into the ' taber- 
nacle of the congregation, 5 Deut. 
31. 14, that the dying charge of 
Moses might be given to his suc- 
cessor, it seems highly probable that 
the instructions and encouragements 
imparted on this occasion were deli- 
vered from the same place. IT The 
servant of the Lord. A high and ho- 
norable title, applied to Moses, not 
merely in the sense in which it is ap- 
plied to pious and good men gener- 



came to pass, that the Lord 
spake UDto Joshua the son of 
Nun, Moses' a minister, saying, 



a Ex 24. 13 Deut. I. 



ally, who may justly be styled ser- 
vants of the Most High, inasmuch as 
it is the grand aim of their lives to 
serve and obey him; but in this con- 
nection carrying with it a reference 
to the peculiar nature of the service 
in which Moses was employed, viz. 
that of a minister, mediator, deputy, 
or vicegerent of God, the honored or- 
gan through whom he communica- 
ted his will to his chosen people and 
managed all their varied interests. It 
is in this character that he stands so 
highly commended in the sacred vo- 
lume, having received the divine tes- 
timony to his being ' found faithful 
in all God's house as a servant' and 
j being expressly distinguished by this 
j title, not only here, where God him- 
self is pleased so to denominate him, 
v. 2, but also in Rev. 15. 3, where it 
is said of the company standing upon 
the sea of glass, that they ■ sing the 
song of Moses the servant of God. y 
On the sense of ministerial ruling 
oftentimes involved in the term ser- 
vant, see Note Gen. 24. 2. IT Moses 1 
minister. That is, his immediate 
attendant, one who waited upon his 
person, and assisted him in business ; 
I one of whose services he availed 
! himself in a variety of ways, as Eli- 
sha of those of Gehazi. The word 
is rendered in some copies of the 
Greek, virupyoq, an under-icorkman^ 
in others, Oepa-rrwv, one that waits, at- 
tends upon, ministers to. Previous 
to the death of Moses, Joshua had 
been specially designated to the of- 
fice which he isnow called to assume, 
Deut. 1. 38; 31. 3, 6—8; and for 
which he was peculiarly qualified 
by his long familiarity with Moses, 
and by the training which he would 
naturally receive in the station occu- 



10 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 145L 



2 b Moses my servant is dead ; 
now therefore arise, go over this 
Jordan, thou and all this people, 
unto the land which I do give to 



pied under him. An humble and 
devoted spirit, a willingness to serve 
God in the meanest employments, is 
the best preparative, and often the 
surest precursor to posts of honor 
and dignity in the church. Wher- 
ever this is the case, no previous 
lowness or obscurity of origin is, 
in God's sight, an obstacle to advance- 
ment. Persons of this character are 
often surprised to look back, and see 
from what small beginnings they 
have been raised step by step, under 
the guidance of Providence, to sta- 
tions of the most extensive influence 
and usefulness. 

2. Moses my servant is dead. As 
Joshua was of course aware of the 
fact of Moses 5 decease, these words 
could not be intended merely to an- 
nounce to him that event. They 
are equivalent to saying, ' The death 
of my servant Moses has left the 
people without a leader and a head 
to conduct them into the promised 
land. It is necessary that his place 
should be immediately filled. Thou 
hast been selected for that office, 
and the time has now come for 
thee to enter upon the active dis- 
charge of its duties. Arise there- 
fore, and go at once about the work 
of thy high calling.' Probably Jo- 
shua's deep sense of his own insuf- 
ficiency and unworthiness, and of 
the many dangers and difficulties 
which encompassed his path, had 
caused him somewhat to despond 
and waver in spirit, and rendered 
necessary this direct and rousing 
summons, which, for the same rea- 
son, God was pleased to accompany 
with so many encouraging pro- 
mises. When it is considered that 
Joshua was now ninety-three years 
of age, that he had to govern a very 
perverse and rebellious people, and 
was going to contend with a warlike 
and formidable enemy, it will per- 



them, even to the children of 
Israel. 

3 c Every place that the sole 
of your foot shall tread upon, 



c Deut. 11. 24. ch. 14. 9. 



haps appear, that nothing short oi 
the divine assurance, he now re- 
ceived, could have sustained his 
courage in such an arduous sta- 
tion. IT Go over this Jordan. This 
river, which you now have in full 
view before you, and on the banks of 
which you are encamped. For a de- 
scription of the Jordan, see ' Illustra- 
tions of the Scriptures,' p. 20. It was 
doubtless a severe trial to Joshua's 
faith, to be thus called upon to make 
immediate preparation for crossing 
a river that was now overflowing its 
banks, chap. 3. 15, and for getting 
over which he was totally unprovi- 
ded with the ordinary means, whe- 
ther of boats or bridges. But as God 
had given the command, he must" 
not doubt that he would open a 
way for his people, though it should 
be by cleaving the waters and re- 
peating the miracle witnessed at the 
Red Sea. It was as certain that 
they should be conducted over the 
Jordan, as it was that they should be 
led into Canaan, and to this the Most 
High had pledged himself by the 
most solemn promises, renewed from 
age to age, from the time of Abraham 
down to that Moses. With a ' Thus 
saith the Lord' for our warrant, we 
may boldly go forth in the face of 
obstacles that are absolutely insuper- 
able to human power. IF Unto the 
land which I do give to them. Heb. 
' am giving.' That is, the land of 
which I have long promised them 
the inheritance, and of which I am 
now in the very act of putting them 
in possession. Though the promis- 
es of God may be slow in fulfilling, 
yet the accomplishment will come 
at last ; not one jot or tittle shall fail. 
Though 'the vision be for an ap- 
pointed time, yet at the end it shall 
speak, it shall not lie : though it 
tarry, wait for it; because it will 
surely come, it will not tarry.' 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER I. 



11 



that have I given unto you, as 
I said unto Moses. 

4 d From the wilderness and 
this Lebanon even unto the great 

d Gen. 15. 18. Ex. 23 31. Num. 34. 3—12. 



3. Every place that the sole of your 
foot shall tread upon. That is, every 
place within the limits specified in 
the ensuing verse. The expression 
in this, as in innumerable other 
cases, must be qualified by the con- 
nection. It was not intended to be a 
grant of universal dominion. IF As 
I said unto Moses. The words here 
used are a literal repetition of the 
promise made Deut 11. 24. Indeed, 
nearly every sentence in this address 
to Joshua, occurs somewhere in the 
course of the foregoing history, espe- 
cially in the book of Deuteronomy. 

4. From the wilderness, &c. God 
here proceeds, in very brief terms, 
to mark out and define the bounda- 
ries of the land of promise. Its ut- 
most limits should be from the wil- 
derness of Sin, or the desert of Ara- 
bia Petreea on the South, to Lebanon 
on the North ; and from the Euphra- 
tes on the East, to the great sea, or 
the Mediterranean, on the West. 
The Israelites did not indeed possess 
the full extent of this grant till the 
time of David, but their failure to do 
so was owing entirely to their own 
remissness, unbelief and disobedi- 
ence, as was every reverse with 
which they met during the whole 
period of tneir history. They were 
not straitened in God, but in them- 
selves ; and the same remark holds 
good with regard to his people in all 
ages. TT This Lebanon. Particu- 
larised in this manner, beeause it 
could doubtless be seen from the spot 
where Joshua now stood, rearing its 
lofty summits towards the clouds in 
the northern extremity of Canaan. 
For an account of this well-known 
range of mountains, any of the vari- 
ous works in sacred geography may 
be consulted. See also ' Illustrations 
of the Scriptures,' p. 103. The name 

1 Lebanon ' comes from the Heb. root 
•p5 Laban ) white ) from its summits' 



river, the river Euphrates, all the 
land of the Hittites, and unto the 
great sea toward the going down 
of the sun, shall be your coast. 



being so constantly covered with 
snow. IT All the land of the Hittites. 
This is not the name of a region ly- 
ing without the limits above specified, 
or of a country promised in addition 
to that which had been so long as- 
signed, in the divine purpose, to Is- 
rael, but it was one of the seven na- 
tions of Canaan, so often alluded to 
in the books of Moses, and here 
probably mentioned by synecdoche, 
a figure of speech by which a part is 
put for the whole. In like manner, 
in other instances, the nation of the 
Amorites stands for the whole of 
the Canaanitish people. As a rea- 
son for the particular mention of the 
Hittites here, rather than any other 
of the devoted nations, it may be re- 
marked, that it appears from the tran- 
saction of Abraham with the sons 
of Heth, or the Hittites, (Gen. 23,) 
that they inhabited the southern bor- 
ders of the land about the region of 
Beershebaand Hebron, where subse- 
quently the spies saw the gigan- 
tic Anakims, who inspired them 
with so much terror. It was natural, 
therefore, that they should regard 
these people as the most formidable 
enemies whom they would be likely 
to encounter, and equally natural 
that God, in assuring them of the 
complete conquest of all these na- 
tions, should specify that one which 
more than all others they dreaded. 
He would thus banish their fears 
where they would be most certain to 
rise, and by promising them a vic- 
tory, where they might apprehend a 
defeat, inspire them with unwaver- 
ing confidence of success in contend- 
ing with all the rest of their enemies. 
If the Goliath of the Philistines' camp 
be overcome, the routing of the 
whole host beside would give com- 
paratively little trouble. IT The great 
sea. The Mediterranean; so call- 
ed as being the greatest in the vicin- 



12 



JOSHUA. 



e 5 There shall not any man 
be able to stand before thee all 
the days of thy life : f as I was 
with Moses, so el will be with 

e Deut. 7. 24. f Ex. 3. 12. g Deut. 31. 8. 23. y. 9, 
17. ch. 3. 7. & 6. 27. Is. 43. 2, 5. 

ity of the land of promise, the great- 
est with which the Israelites were 
acquainted, and especially so termed 
in respect to the smaller seas in Ju- 
dea, such as the sea of Gennesaret 
or Tiberias, and the Dead Sea, which 
were comparatively mere lakes. The 
Hebrews, however, were accustomed 
to give the name of &i sea, to every 
large collection of waters. TT Shall 
be your coast. Your border, your 
boundary, your limits. Such is the 
import of the word coast, as used by 
some of the early English writers. 
5. Able to stand before thee. Able 
to resist thee, to maintain his ground 
before thee, to throw any effectual 
bar in the way of thy success. He 
is, however, admonished that his 
sufficiency was not of himself. It 
was solely in consequence of God's 
being with him, upholding and pros- 
pering him, as he did Moses, that he 
was to be rendered thus invincible. 
Those that contended with him were 
contending with omnipotence, and 
in this unequal contest they must 
necessarily be worsted. ' If God be 
for us, who can be against us V What 
Joshua had himself, on another occa- 
sion, said to encourage the people, 
Num. 14. 9, God now says to him. 
This signal success, moreover, was 
not only to mark the commencement 
of his enterprises, but to attend him 
throughout his whole career. How- 
ever it might be with Israel when 
he was gone, yet during his life time 
he should be favored with a con- 
stant tide of triumphs. If it be asked 
how this assurance consists with the 
fact, that he met with such a serious 
repulse in one of his earliest expe- 
ditions, and that so many thousands 
of Israel were smitten and turned 
their backs before the men of Ai, the 
answer is, that they failed in the con- 
ditions on which the promises of vic- 



[A. C. 1451. 

not fail thee, nor 



thee : h I will 
forsake thee. 

6 iBe strong and of a good 
courage : for unto this people 

h Deut. 31. 6. 8. Heb. 13. 5. i Deut 31. 7, 23. 



tory were suspended. These pro- 
mises were hot absolute. They 
were made with a proviso. They 
were to be fulfilled on condition of 
the implicit faith and obedience of 
the people, with the perfect under- 
standing, at the same time; that 
God's grace was sufficient for them, 
and that if they sought him sincere- 
ly, they should never fail to receive 
an adequate measure of ability to 
enable them to comply with these 
conditions. On the occasion alluded 
to, they had grossly failed in duty, they 
had sinned and transgressed the cov- 
enant and were therefore smitten be- 
fore the enemy, 'because they were_ 
accursed,' i. e. laboring under the di- 
vine displeasure. Josh. 7. 12. IT I will 
not fail thee nor forsake thee. The 
Heb. term for ' fail ' properly signi- 
fies to let sink, to let grow sVack and 
fall down, being generally spoken of 
the hands, and implying a loosing 
or relaxing of one's grasp, and the 
consequent falling down of the hands, 
as in Josh. 10. 6, ' Slack not thy hands 
from thy servants.' It has a mean- 
ing directly opposite to that of the 
word for laying a firm hold, taking 
a vigorous grasp, of any thing. The 
other is the usual word for leave, for- 
sake, abandon. The sense clearly is, 
that God would keep firm hold of his 
servant, would not let go of him, 
would not resign him up to the power 
of his enemies. Moses had before 
given to Joshua the same assurance, 
couched almost in the express words 
of this passage, Deut. 31. 6—8 ; and 
here God is pleased, in accordance 
with the character which he else- 
where gives of himself, Is. 44. 26, 
to ' confirm the word of his servant,' 
and engages never to leave or be 
wanting to Joshua. 

6. Be strong and of a good courage. 
These terms, though nearly related, 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER I. 



13 



shalt thou divide for an inherit- 
ance the land which I sware 
unto their fathers to give them. 
7 Only be thou strong and 



are not precisely synonymous with 
each other. They both occur, though 
under slightly different forms, Is. 
35 — 3, ' Strengthen ye the weak 
hands and confirm the feeble knees,' 
from which, and from other passages, 
it is inferred that the first, ' be strong,' 
properly implies that strength which 
is in the hands for grasping and 
holding firmly any thing, while the 
latter points primarily to the strength 
of the knees in steadfastly maintain- 
ing one's position, and withstand- 
ing every aggressive assault of the 
enemy. From this view of the pri- 
mary and literal acceptation of the 
words, we obtain a better idea of 
their import when applied metaphor- 
ically, as here, to the acts of the mind. 
tT Unto this people shalt thou divide 
for an inheritance the land. Heb. 
' Thou shalt cause this people to in- 
herit the land.' Which supposes 
the previous entire conquest of the 
land ; and in this respect a higher 
degree of honor was vouchsafed to 
Joshua than to Moses, for he was 
only permitted to conduct Israel 
through the wilderness, and bring 
them to the borders of the promised 
land, while Joshua had the glory of 
actually taking possession of, and 
distributing the land to his people 
as an inheritance. God is pleased, 
therefore, to make known to him 
his purposes concerning him, as a 
reason for his assuming all that 
strength and courage which he now 
enjoins upon him. 

7. Only be thou strong and very 
courageous, that thou mayest observe 
to do,&c. As Joshua was now upon 
the point of invading a country 
filled with formidable enemies, ' na- 
tions greater and mightier than he,' 
we might well expect him to receive 
a charge to ' be strong and very 
courageous,' as it respected the ad- 
2* 



very courageous, that thou may- 
est observe to do according to 
all the law k which Moses my 
servant commanded thee : *turn 

k Num. 27. 23. Deut. 31. 7. ch. 11. 15. 1 Deut. 5. 
32. & 28. H. 



versaries whom he was about to en- 
counter. But it is remarkable that 
his enemies are here left compara- 
tively out of sight, and the way in 
which his courage and fortitude are 
mainly to be exercised, is, in adher- 
ing with inflexible firmness to the 
law of God. As all his success, how- 
ever, depended entirely upon God, 
it was indispensably requisite that 
he should secure the divine favor. 
This he could only do by a rigid 
obedience to God's commands ; and 
such an obedience would require 
a stronger principle of courage than 
the most formidable enemies would 
give occasion for. From which we 
may learn, that in nothing is there 
more scope for the display of the high- 
est moral heroism, than in daring, in 
all circumstances, to cleave stead- 
fastly to the word of God as the rule 
of our conduct. It is in this way 
chiefly that the fortitude of a Chris- 
tian soldier is to evince itself. He 
is to contend with the enemies of his 
salvation, in obedience to the laws of 
God. As the soldier of an earthly 
leader is to act in all things accord- 
ing to certain rules, laid down in a 
code drawn up for the purpose, so the 
Christian soldier has his code drawn 
up for him by God himself, and re- 
vealed to him in the oracles of truth. 
This code he is to study with all dili- 
gence, and meditate on it day and 
night, that he may conform himself 
to it in every particular, and never 
turn aside to the right hand or the 
left. However difficult or self-de- 
nying its injunctions, he must obey 
it, and so sacred must it be in his 
eyes, that he will rather die than de- 
part from it. This will require all 
the courage that any man can pos- 
sess. IT Which Moses my servant 
commanded thee. The particular 
commands of Moses here referred 



14 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



not from it to the right hand 
or to the left, that thou mayest 
prosper withersoever thou goest. 



to, are to be found in Deut. 5. 32. 
28. 14, and 31. 7, 8; and though 
originally delivered to all the con- 
gregation, yet here they are espe- 
cially applied to Joshua, who, as 
leader, stood as the representative 
of the whole collective body of the 
people. IT Turn not from it, to the right 
hand or to the left. Heb., ' Turn not 
from him,' i. e. from Moses; where 
his person stands for his writings. 
So our Saviour says, ' If they hear 
not Moses and the prophets,' i. e. the 
words of Moses. — The metaphor is 
taken from a man's pursuing a jour- 
ney, who goes straight forward in 
the direct road, if he knows it, with- 
out turning aside into by-paths that 
lead he knows not whither. IT That 
thou.mayest prosper. Or, Heb., ' may- 
est do wisely, mayest deal or behave 
understandingly.' The primary and 
most usual sense of the original is, 
to direct one's self wisely, to act with 
p-rudence and discretion, to be wise, 
intelligent^ and thence secondarily, 
to prosper, to have good success. 
These two senses of the word are so 
intimately connected, that it is often 
difficult to determine precisely which 
of them is intended in a given pas- 
sage. This very uncertainty, how- 
ever, proves it to be clearly intima- 
ted, in the native import of the term, 
that real prosperity and success in the 
affairs of life, is the result of a wise, 
discreet, and prudent course of con- 
duct, and inseparable from it, and 
that it is vain to look for it from any 
other source. Those only can rea- 
sonably expect the blessing of God 
upon their temporal affairs, who 
make his word their rule, and con- 
scientiously walk by it in all circum- 
s ances ; and this is the way of true 
wisdom. 

8. This book of the law. That is 
by way of emphasis ' the book of the 
law,' the law of Moses, to which, as 
he well knew, God attached the ut- 



8 m This book of the law shall 
not depart out of thy mouth ; 
but n thou shalt meditate therein 

m Deut. 17. 18, 19. n P5. 1. 2. 

most importance, and of which he 
speaks as if it were at that moment 
in Joshua's hand, or at his side, as it 
continually ought to be. IT Shall 
not depart out of thy mouth. Thou 
shalt constantly read and ponder it, 
it shall incessantly employ thy lips, 
thou shalt have thy heart so constant- 
ly imbued with its letter and spirit, 
that thy mouth shall, as it were, 
overflow with its rich contents, as 
' out of the abundance of the heart 
the mouth speaketh.' The same 
phrase occurs but once elswhere in 
the Scriptures, Is. 59. 21, 'As for 
me, this is my covenant with them, 
saith the Lord. My spirit that is 
upon thee and my words which I 
have put in thy mouth, shall not de- 
part out of thy mouth, nor out of the 
mouth of thy seed, nor out of the 
mouth of thy seed's seed r saith the 
Lord, from henceforth and forever;' 
where it is implied that the cove- 
nant promise should be deemed so 
precious, that it should be a perpet- 
ual theme of meditation and dis- 
course, that it should constantly 
dwell on the tongues of those in- 
terested in it. It is moreover implied, 
in this charge to Joshua, that he was 
not only to make the book of the 
law the subject of assiduous study 
for his own personal benefit, but al- 
so to make it the sole rule and stan- 
dard of all his public and official pro- 
ceedings ; he was to issue orders and 
pronounce judgements according to 
its precepts, and that too without 
exception or reserve — he must 'do 
according to all that is written there- 
in.' Though appointed to the rank 
of supreme head and magistrate of 
the nation, he was not to consider 
himself elevated in the slightest de- 
gree above the authority of the di- 
vine law, or the necessity of con- 
sulting it ; nor should any Christian 
magistrate at this day consider him- 
self at liberty to dispense with the 



A. C. 145L] 



CHAPTER I. 



15 



day and night, that thou may- 
est observe to do according to 
all that is written therein : for 
then thou shalt make thy way 
prosperous, and then thou shalt 
have good success. 

light which beams from the word of 
God, in regard to the great matters of 
his duty. The higher any man is 
raised in office, the more need has 
he of an acquaintance with the sa- 
cred oracles, and the better will he 
be qualified by the study of them for 
the discharge of his arduous duties. 
IT Thou shalt meditate therein day 
and night. This is the character of 
the good man as described by the 
Psalmist, Ps. 1. 2, in words which 
are almost an exact transcript of those 
here employed. The Heb. term for 
' meditate,' implies that kind of men- 
tal rumination which is apt to vent 
itself in an audible sound of the voice. 
See Comment, on Ps. 1.2. IT Make 
thy way prosperous — have good 
success. Two different words are 
here employed, the latter of which is 
the same with that remarked upon 
above, v. 7, and which should proba- 
bly be rendered here also, ' do wise- 
ly,' ' conduct understanding^,' as 
otherwise it is little, if any thing, 
more than a bare repetition of the 
preceding phrase. 

9. Have not I commanded thee ? I, 
whose authority is paramount, 
whose power is infinite, who am able 
to carry thee through all difficulties 
and dangers, and whom thou art 
bound implicitly to obey. So in the 
Christian warfare, it is the God of 
heaven whose battles we fight, and 
in whose service we are engaged. 
Were it only an earthly monarch to 
whom we had devoted ourselves, we 
ought to serve him with all fidelity : 
what then should we not do for the 
King of kings, who has not only 
chosen us to be his soldiers, but has 
himself taken the field for our sakes, 
to subdue our enemies, and to de- 
liver us from their assaults'? — It 
should be remarked, that the interro- 



9 °Have not I commanded 
thee ? Be strong and of a good 
courage ; pbe not afraid, neither 
be thou dismayed : for the Lord 
thy God is with thee whither- 
soever thou goest. 

o Deut. 31. 7, 8, 23. p Pe. 27. 1. Jer. 1. 8. 

gative form of speech is often used, 
not as implying any thing doubtful, 
but as the most emphatic mode of ex- 
pressing either a negative or affirm- 
ation, particularly when the speak- 
er wishes to rouse and excite strong- 
ly the attention of the hearer. In- 
stances are innumerable. IF The Lord 
thy God is with thee. Here is some- 
what of a remarkable change in the 
persons, from the first to the third, 
but whether with any peculiar sig- 
nificancy it is not easy to determine. 
The Chaldee renders it in reference 
to the Son, ' The Word of the Lord 
thy God shall be with thee.' Con- 
sidered as a pledge of the presence 
and support of the God of heaven 
with all his faithful people, in their 
trials and conflicts, the promise is 
full of precious meaning. He says 
to us, in effect, what he says to 
Joshua; and what encouragement 
can we desire more ? Imagine a sol- 
dier with his commander in chief 
always at his side, cheering and en- 
couraging him, and how naturally 
would he thereby be stirred up to 
deeds of valor which he would not 
otherwise be able to exhibit 7 Let us 
know then as believers that God is 
ever with us, and with us, not only 
as a witness, but as a helper, to 
strengthen us, to uphold us, and to 
fight our battles for us. If, however, 
we would secure this blessing, let us 
give heed that our courage and for- 
titude be of the right kind. There is 
an unhallowedboldness which savors 
of pride and vain glory. Against 
this we cannot be too much on our 
guard. In doing valiantly for God, 
we must not forget the laws of meek- 
ness. But if we fight in dependence 
on the Lord's strength, and in con- 
formity to his commands, we need 
not doubt of final victory. 



16 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



10 IT Then Joshua command- 
ed the officers of the people 
saying, 

11 Pass through the host and 
command the people, saying, 
Prepare you victuals ; for ^with- 
in three days ye shall pass over 

q ch. 3. 2. See Deut. 9. 1. & n. 31. 



10. Commanded the officers of the 
people. Heb. t^toBJ Shoterim. 
These were under-officers, subordi- 
nate to the b"it:DE5 Shophetim or jud- 
ges, whose duty it was to see to the 
execution of the orders of the heads 
of the people, whether Moses, Joshua, 
or his successors the Judges. Deut. 
16. 18. 20. 5—9. The original is 
usually rendered ypanjiareis, scribes, 
in the Gr. version. 

11. Prepare you victuals. Heb. 
XXXI Tsedah^prey, including perhaps 
manna, but implying more particu- 
larly such other kinds of provisions 
as they had obtained in the conquered 
countries, as corn, oxen, sheep, &c. 
as the word properly signifies what 
is taken in hunting. Although the 
manna was their main dependence 
during their sojourn in the wilder- 
ness, yet they do not appear to have 
been forbidden to supply themselves 
with other kinds of food when they 
had an opportunity, Deut. 2. 6, 28 ; 
and at this time, when they had come 
into a land inhabited, where they 
could procure such provisions, it is 
probable that the manna did not fall 
so plentifully, or they did not gather 
so much as previously, so that they 
were now commanded to lay in a 
store of other eatables to supply the 
deficiency. Certain it is, however, 
that the manna did not entirely cease 
falling till they had entered the land 
of Canaan, and eaten of the old corn 
of the land, ch. 5. 12. IT Within 
three days. Or, Heb. ' for yet three 
days.' The probability is, that the 
passage over the Jordan was not 
made tillafter the lapse of three days, 
and that it took place on the fourth : 
the three days, therefore, here men- 
tioned, are to be reckoned exclusive 



this Jordan, to go in to possess 
the land which the Lord your 
God giveth you to possess it. 

12 IF And to the Reubenites, 
and to the Gadites, and to half 
the tribe of Manasseh, spake 
Joshua, saying, 



of that on which the proclamation 
was made, ch. 2. 22 ; 3. 1. Or, as the 
original for ' shall pass,' is literally 
1 shall be passing,' it may mean 
simply, that within the space of three 
days they should have brokenup from 
their present encampment, and com- 
menced their march, although the 
actual passage of the Jordan may 
not have occurred till a day or two 
afterwards. The confidence with 
which Joshua speaks of the event, 
shows the undoubting character of 
his own faith in the promise of God. 
IT Which the Lord your God giveth 
you. Heb. { is giving,' i. e. is even 
now in the act of giving. It would 
tend greatly to animate the faith and 
zeal of the people, and to secure 
their vigorous cooperation, to see 
God, as it were, girding himself to 
the work, and actually putting forth 
his power in the execution of his 
promises. It would not do for them 
to be remiss when omnipotence was 
visibly engaged in their behalf. 
This language would teach them too 
that the result was not to be brought 
about by their own strength, and, con- 
sequently, that they could not take 
the glory of it to themselves. IF To 
possess it. Heb., ' to inherit it, ' i. e. 
not merely to occupy it, but so to hold 
it that it should be transmitted down 
as a hereditary possession to their 
children after them. 

12. To the Reubenites and to the 
Gadites. Heb. ' to the Reubenite and 
to the Gadite,' the collective singular 
for the plural, a very common idiom 
of the original, particularly in speak- 
ing of tribes and nations ; as if the 
whole body, from their intimate 
union, were regarded as one per- 
son. 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER I. 



17 



13 Remember r the word which 
Moses the servant of the Lord 
commanded you, saying, The 
Lord your God hath given you 
rest, and hath given you this 
land. 

14 Your wives, your little 
ones, and your cattle shall re- 

r Num. 32. 20—23. ch. 22. 2, 3, 4. 



IT Remember the word which Mo- 
ses, &c. This engagement on the 
part of the two tribes and a half, is 
detailed with ail the circumstances 
attending it, Num. 32. 1 — 42 ; and it 
was proper here to remind them 
of it, as, otherwise, having arrived at 
the place of their settlement, they 
might be induced to seek their own 
ease, by remaining with their wives 
and families in the rich and fertile 
region of which they had come into 
possession. IT The Lord your God 
hath given you rest. Rather, accord- 
ing to the "Heb., ' The Lord is giv- 
ing you rest, and hath given you this 
land.' These precise words do not 
occur in the address of Moses to the 
two tribes and a half, but the sense 
of them does, and Joshua intended, 
doubtless, merely to quote the sub- 
stance of what Moses said. The 
phrase, ' giving you rest,' perhaps 
merely implies that they were now 
brought to a place of rest, rather than 
a positive state of rest, which they 
could hardly be said to enjoy till they 
had subdued their enemies. They 
were at rest, however, in contradis- 
tinction from journeying, and in this 
sense the original word is often em- 
ployed. 

14. Ye shall pass before your breth- 
ren. That is, as the original implies, 
ye shall pass or cross over before, or 
in the presence of, your brethren. It 
does not appear to signify that they 
should take the front rank or lead 
the van, for such an intimation re- 
specting them is no where else clear- 
ly given ; but simply that they should 
not absent themselves, that they 
should be present with their breth- 
ren, united with them in the expe- 



main in the land which Moses 
gave you on this side Jordan ; 
but ye shall pass before your 
brethren armed, all the mighty 
men of valor, and help them; 

15 Until the Lord have given 
your brethren rest, as he hath 
given you, and they also have 



dition. The Heb. phrase is often 
used in this sense. IT Armed. Heb. 
' marshalled by five.' Of the import 
of this expression, see Note on Ex. 
13. 18, where it is rendered harnes- 
sed. IT All the mighty men of valor. 
Not absolutely all the fighting men 
of these tribes, but the choice of 
them, the most active, bold and ener- 
getic ; for as there were only forty 
thousand of them that passed over, 
ch. 4. 13, while the whole number 
of warriors was far greater, Num. 
26, it is evident that a large body of 
them must have remained on the 
other side of the Jordan, to take care 
of the women, children, and flocks. 
Probably as many at least as seventy 
thousand, as the sum total of the men 
in those tribes able to bear arms was 
upwards of one hundred and ten 
thousand. See Num. 26. 7, 18, 37. 

15. Until the Lord have given your 
brethren rest, as he hath given you. 
That is, until he hath brought them 
to their place of rest ; for it could not 
strictly be said of either company, 
that the Lord had given them rest, 
until they had so far conquered 
their enemies as to be in no dan- 
ger of being henceforth seriously 
molested by them. But that was, at 
this time, by no means the case with 
the two tribes and a half, nor have 
we reason to suppose, in respect to 
the others, that the mere putting them 
in possession of the promised terri- 
tory would be ' giving them rest,' as 
long as their enemies remained in 
great numbers unsubdued. We are 
led therefore to understand from this 
expression, simply the bringing them 
to, or planting them in. a place of rest. 
The actual "enjoyment of the rest 



18 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



possessed the land which the 
Lord your God giveth them : 
B then ye shall return unto the 
land of your possession, and en- 
joy it, which Moses the Lord's 
servant gave you on this side 
Jordan toward the sun-rising. 
16 IT And they answered 
Joshua saying, All that thou 
commandest us, we will do, and 

s ch. 22. 4, &c. 



was a matter of subsequent favor. 
IT Toward the sun rising. That is, 
the East, as, toward the going down 
of the sun, signifies the West. 

16. And they answered Joshua. 
This, as some conceive, was not 
the answer of the two tribes and 
a half only, but the response of 
the whole host, who thus concur- 
red heartily with them in their 
solemn engagements. It is not un- 
likely that such were the real sen- 
timents of the entire congregation ; 
but it seems more natural, from the 
connection, to understand it of those 
who were directly addressed. They 
afterwards received the testimony of 
Joshua, as having fully complied 
with all their stipulations, ch. 22. 
2 — 4. IF All that thou commandest 
us we will do, &c. Thus are we re- 
quired to swear allegiance to Christ, 
the Captain of our salvation, the 
christian's Joshua, and to bind our- 
selves to do what he commands us 
by his word, and to go wheresoever 
he sends us by his providence. 

17. According as we hearkened un- 
to Moses, &c. As we obeyed Moses. 
Nothing is more common than this 
sense of the word ' hearken' in the 
sacred writers. If it be asked, how 
this language is to be reconciled 
with the declaration of Moses him- 
self in regard to their conduct under 
him, Deut. 9. 24, { Ye have been re- 
bellious against the Lord from the 
day that I knew you,' we answer, 
that neither the words of Moses, nor 
of the people, are to be understood 
as holding good universally, and 



whithersoever thou sendest us, 
we will go. 

17 According as we heark- 
ened unto Moses in all things, 
so will we hearken unto thee: 
only the Lord thy God the with 
thee, as he was with Moses. 

18 Whosoever lie he that 
doth rebel against thy com- 
mandment, and will not hearken 

t ver. 5. 1 Sam. 20. 13. 1 Kings 1. 37. 



without any exception. They were 
sometimes rebellious, and sometimes 
obedient. What they mean is, that 
they would be as obedient to Joshua 
as they ever were to Moses, when 
they did obey him, when they were 
in their best moods ; as obedient, in 
fact, as they should have been to Moses, 
and as many of them generally were. 
The literal rendering of the original^ 
is, ' According to all (in) which we 
hearkened to Moses, so will we hear- 
ken to thee.' This perhaps limits 
the point of comparison to those 
cases in which they were actually 
obedient, and excludes those in which 
they rebelled. TT Only the Lord thy 
God be with thee, &c. This is not to 
be understood as a condition, or limi- 
tation of their promised obedience, 
as if they should say, ' We will obey 
thee as far as we perceive the Lord 
is with thee, but no farther,' but ra- 
ther as an earnest prayer in behalf 
of Joshua, that he might constantly 
enjoy the divine guidance, protec- 
tion, and blessing ; q. d. • Do not 
fear for us. Be assured of our con- 
stant obedience. Be solicitous main- 
ly for thyself. This is the matter of 
our anxiety, that the Lord would be 
with thee, and prosper thee in all 
things.' To pray fervently for those 
in authority over us, is the surest 
way to render them blessings to us 
and to the communities in which we 
live. 

18. Rebel against thy command- 
ment. Heb. c rebel (against) thy 
mouth,' i. e. the word or command- 
ment of thy mouth. Perhaps in this 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER II. 



19 



unto thy words in all that thou 
commandest him, he shall be 
put to death : only be strong 
and of a good courage. x 



they had an eye to what Moses had 
said respecting the Lord's raising 
up a prophet like unto himself, and 
to whose words they were to heark- 
en under the severest penalty, Deut. 
18. 18, 19. They might have sup- 
posed this prediction to be fulfilled 
in the appointment of Joshua as 
Moses' successor, without knowing, 
at the same time, but that it might 
still have an ulterior fulfilment at 
some subsequent period in a yet 
more illustrious personage. 

CHAPTER. II. 

1. Joshua sent tico men to spy 
secretly. Or, Heb. ' had sent.' This 
sending forth of the spies had very 
probably taken place sometime pre- 
vious to the order mentioned above, 
ch. 1. 10, at which time it is not un- 
likely they had returned and made 
their report to Joshua. The order 
of events in the sacred history can- 
not always be determined by the or- 
der of narration. Continual trans- 
positions of this kind are to be met 
with in every part of the Scriptures. — 
Moses sent out twelve spies, because 
the whole land of Canaan was to be 
explored; Joshua dispatched but 
two, as he only sought for informa- 
tion respecting the posture of the city 
of Jericho and its immediate vicinity. 
— Although an express assurance had 
been given to Joshua, that everyplace 
on which the sole of his foot should 
tread should come into his posses- 
sion, and that no man should be able 
to stand before him, yet as every pru- 
dent general endeavors to obtain in- 
formation respecting the state of any 
fortified city which he is about to be- 
siege, before he proceeds actually to 
invest it ; so he felt it his duty to 
send spies to asertain the state of Jer- 
icho, before he passed over Jordan 
to attack it. God is pleased to ac- 
complish his promises by the use of 



CHAPTER II. 

A ND Joshua the son of Nun 

^*- sent a out of Shittim two 

men to spy secretly, saying, Go 



means ; to neglect the means, there- 
fore, is to tempt him, rather than to 
trust in him ; and to expect the end 
without using the means, is not faith, 
but presumption. IF Out of Shit- 
tim. Called elsewhere Abel-Shit- 
tim, unless the latter were the name 
of the adjoining valley. The city 
of Shittim was situated from eight 
to eleven miles east of the Jordan, 
in the plains of Moab, and within 
the boundaries assigned to the tribe 
of Reuben. It is supposed to have 
been so named from the great quan- 
tity of trees, called Shittim-wood, 
which grew in its vicinity. IT To 
spy secretly. Heb. ' silently '. But 
whether this word has reference to 
the manner of their being sent, viz. 
in a secret, silent way, without the 
privity of the people, or to the mode 
of discharging their duty, noiselessly, 
stealthily, it is difficult to determine. 
From the relative position of the 
words the latter seems the most pro- 
bable. IF View the land, even Jeri- 
cho. Explore the land or country 
about Jericho, but more especially 
the city itself. They were to ob- 
serve its site, its various localities, its 
avenues of approach, its fortifica- 
tions, the state of its population, 
every thing, in fine, which would be 
of service to them in concerting the 
best mode of attack. This city is sup- 
posed to have derived its name either 
from the form of the plain on which 
it stood, resembling a new moon, 
or from the sweet smell of the balsam 
or palm trees, which abounded there 
in great profusion, Deut. 34. 3 ; Judg. 
1. 16. It seems not to have been 
situated immediately upon the river, 
but at the distance of six or eight 
miles. The modern Jericho, now 
called Rihhah, is a miserable village 
of about fifty dwellings ; but, accord- 
ing to Buckingham, it does not oc- 
cupy the site of the ancient city. 



20 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



view the land, even Jericho. 
And they went, and b came into 

b Eeb. 11.31. James 2, 25. 



The latter, according to him, was 
situated four miles nearer Jerusalem, 
at the very foot of the mountains, 
where he noticed the ruins of a place 
of consequence. The plain of Jeri- 
cho extends from the mountains, 
where the ruins of the old city are to 
be found, eastward towards Jordan, 
and is nearly inclosed on all sides 
by these or similar mountains. 
IT And came into a harlot's house. 
The character of this woman has 
been a much disputed point among 
commentators. As she is commend- 
ed by the Apostle for her faith, Heb. 
11. 31, and by her marriage with 
Salmon, Matt. 1. 5, subsequently 
came into the line of our Lord's pro- 
genitors, great anxiety has been 
evinced to clear her reputation, if 
possible, from the reproach of an in- 
famous course of life. On this ac- 
count, great pains have been taken 
to show that the original term may 
be properly rendered ' hostess,' and 
so does not necessarily convey the 
idea attached to the English word 
1 harlot.' But it is beyond all ques- 
tion, that the legitimate and uniform 
signification of the Heb. term is that 
of a ' harlot,' either literal or spiri- 
tual. Judg. 11. 1. 1 Kings 3. 16. 
Ezek. 23. 44. So also the word is 
rendered in the Sept. and this ren- 
dering is adopted by two apostles. 
Heb. 11. 31. James 2. 25; though 
we do not consider the latter circum- 
stance by any means decisive as to 
the genuine import of the original ; 
for as the Sept. was the translation 
at this time in common use, they 
adopted the expression as they found 
it, without claiming thereby to settle 
its propriety as a version of the ori- 
ginal. It is moreover to be remem- 
bered, that Rahab lived in the midst 
of a people, corrupt, abandoned and 
profligate to the last degree. Vices 
of the most enormous and de- 
basing character were practised 
without reserve, and received the 



a harlot's house, named c Rahab, 
and lodged there. 



c Matt. 1. 5. 



sanction of every class of people. 
From repeated intimations in regard 
to the devoted nations, it appears 
that the divine judgments were 
kindled against them more on ac- 
count of the abominations of their 
lewdness than any thing else, as had 
been the case with Sodom and Go- 
morrah of old. As these sins per- 
vaded all ranks, they would cease to 
be regarded as infamous, and the 
term applied to Rahab does not per- 
haps indicate a character degraded 
much below the ordinary standard. 
Suppose her, however, to have been a 
harlot in the worst sense of the word, 
the licentiousness of her life, besides 
being the natural product of the 
universal laxity of moral sentiment 
on the subject, may have been pro- 
moted by the false religion in which 
she was educated. All this is said, 
not to excuse or justify her iniqui- 
tous conduct, but to make it less sur- 
prising that the spies should have 
fallen in with a person of her cha- 
racter, and been entertained by her. 
As to her being a hostess, or keeping 
an inn, there is not a particle of evi- 
dence from the original that such 
was the case, nor have we any rea- 
son to suppose, from the known cus- 
toms of oriental nations, that any 
such establishments as houses of 
public entertainment, in our accepta- 
tion of the phrase, existed among 
them. Caravanserais or khans are 
indeed found in most parts of the 
East, but they are veiy different from 
public houses, taverns, or hotels with 
us. These are the result of a much 
more advanced state of society than 
has ever prevailed in the East. The 
following discription from Volney, 
will give the reader somewhat of a 
correct idea of oriental accommoda- 
tions of this nature. c There are no 
inns any where ; but the cities, and 
commonly the villages, have a large 
building, called a khan or caravan- 
serai, which serves as an asylum 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER II. 



21 



2 And d it was told the king 
of Jericho, saying, Behold, there 
came men in hither to-night of 
the children of Israel, to search 
out the country. 

3 And the king of Jericho 

d Ps. 127. 1. Pro*. 21. 30. 



for all travellers. These houses of 
reception are always built without 
the precincts of towns, and consist 
of four wings round a square court, 
which serves by way of inclosure 
for the beasts of burden. The lodg- 
ings are cells, where you find no- 
thing but bare walls, dust, and some- 
times scorpions. The keeper of this 
khan gives the traveler the key and 
a mat ; and he provides himself the 
rest. He must therefore carry with 
him his bed, his kitchen utensils, 
and even his provisions ; for fre- 
quently not even bread is to be found 
in the villages.' That Rahab had 
charge of such an establishment is 
in the highest degree improbable. 
Far more likely is it that she was, or 
had been, a woman of loose morals, 
living in a private station, and that 
the spies came to her house, moved 
doubtless by a secret impulse from 
above, because from its appearance, 
locality, or other causes, which we 
cannot now ascertain, it seemed to 
them a stopping place best suited to 
the purpose in which they were now 
engaged ; and in countries but little 
civilized, there is never much cere- 
mony among travelers in applying 
for a night's lodging. Hospitality 
is almost a universal characteristic 
of such a state of society. But what- 
ever may have been Rahab's cha- 
racter previous to the destruction of 
Jericho, there is no reason to sup- 
pose that after that event it was other 
than pious and exemplary, and such 
as became a true penitent. The op- 
probrious appellation, it is true, re- 
mained, and it was not unfitting that 
her name, in the providence of God, 
should descend to posterity with 
something of a stigma attached to 
it, especially as it is according to 
scriptural usage, that a person should 



sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring 
forth the men that are come to 
thee, which are entered into thy 
house : for they be come to 
search out all the country. 
4 e And the woman took the 



be called by a former denomination 
even after the grounds of it have 
ceased. Thus Matthew is called 
' Matthew the publican,' Matt. 10. 3. 
— 9. 9, after he had been chosen an 
apostle, and Simon is called ' Simon 
the leper,' Matt. 26. 6, though cleans- 
ed from his leprosy. But if she had 
truly repented and reformed, there 
is no more justice in charging the 
sins of her former life upon her, 
than in reproaching Abraham with 
the sin of idolatry, of which he was 
doubtless guilty before his call. 
IT And lodged there. Heb. ' and lay 
down there.' That is, they went in 
with the design of lodging there, and 
probably had actually lain down and 
composed themselves to rest, when 
the arrival of the king's messen- 
gers defeated their purpose, inter- 
rupted their repose, and made it ne- 
cessary for them to save themselves 
by flight. Thus Gen. 37. 21, ' And 
Reuben heard it, and he delivered 
him out of their hands/ i. e. he pur- 
posed to deliver him. 

2. Behold there came men — to 
search out the country. This could 
have been only a conjecture, yet 
they affirm it as a matter of absolute 
certainty. As they could conceive 
of no other motive for which they 
had come, it was perhaps natural 
that they should confidently assign 
this as the true one. 

3. For they be come, &c. This 
seems to have been said by way of 
answer to anticipated objections on 
her part, as if it were the height of 
treachery to her guests thus to deal 
with them. ■ But no, you need 
have no scruples on this score, for 
the men are not good men, as you 
may have supposed ; they have 
come hither as enemies and spies, 
whom it will be no breach of the 



22 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



two men, and hid them, and said 
thus, There came men unto rne, 
but I wist not whence they were : 
5 And it came to pass about 
the time of shutting of the gate, 

laws of hospitality to deliver up to 
justice. 

4. And the woman took the two 
men, and hid them. Heb. ' hid him,' 
i. e. each one of them ; implying 
probably that she hid them separate- 
ly, at some distance from each other. 
The original for ' took,' should pro- 
bably be rendered ' had taken,' and 
the whole clause inclosed in a pa- 
renthesis. She had, in all likelihood, 
learnt soon after their arrival the 
object of their errand, and aware of 
the danger to which they would be ex- 
posed if discovered, she had, at an ear- 
ly hour, conveyed them to a place of 
concealment; not, however, before 
rumors of their presence began to cir- 
culate about the city. This is justly 
celebrated by the apostle as an in- 
stance of high and heroic faith, Heb. 
11. 31. So strong was her persua- 
sion of the truth of what had been an- 
nounced to her, so fully was she con- 
vinced, from what she had heard of 
the wonders wrought for Israel, that 
their God was the only true God, and 
consequently that his declared pur- 
pose in regard to Canaan would 
surely come to pass, that she ven- 
tures her life upon her faith. She 
knew that harboring them was expo- 
sing herself to the death of a traitor 
to her country, and yet she runs the 
risk. ' She contemns her life for the 
present, that she may save it for the 
future ; neglected her own king and 
country, for strangers which she 
never saw ; and more feared the de- 
struction of that city before it knew 
that it had an enemy, than the dis- 
pleasure and mortal revenge of her 
king'. Bp. Hall. It was thus that her 
faith justified itself by works. Had 
she merely assured the spies, that 
though she believed that both Jericho 
and Canaan would fall into their 
hands, yet in her circumstances she 
could show them no kindness, her 



when it was dark, that the men 
went out : whither the men went 
I wot not : pursue after them 
quickly ; for ye shall overtake 
them. 



faith would have been dead and in- 
active, and would not have justified 
her. James 2. 25. But her conduct 
showed that it was active and lively, 
and the event proved that it was effi- 
cacious to her salvation. So unless 
our faith leads us to incur hazards 
and make sacrifices for God, it is to 
be accounted of no avail. IT There 
came men unto me, but I wist not 
ichence they were. Thus far, perhaps, 
her answer contains no violation of 
truth. She admits that two men 
came to her house, but at the time of 
their coming, she knew not whence 
they were. The verb in the original 
is in the past tense, and should be so 
rendered — ■ I knew not.' 

5. About the time of shutting of 
the gate. The gate of the city. 
IT The men went out, &c. This is 
the part of Rahab's conduct most dif- 
ficult to be accounted for, consistently 
with the commendations elsewhere 
bestowed upon her by the sacred 
writers. That she deceived the mes- 
sengers by a falsehood is indubitable. 
She said the spies had left her house 
when they were still in it. How is 
this to be reconciled with the work- 
ings of a heart made right in the 
sight of God % The question is cer- 
tainly one of no easy solution ; but 
in forming a judgment of her con- 
duct, it is fair that Rahab should 
have the benefit of every extenuating 
circumstance that can be adduced in 
her favor ; and such are the follow- 
ing. (1.) Having been born and 
brought up among the depraved Ca- 
naanites, she had probably never 
been taught the evil of lying, and 
least of all where an apparently 
good end was to be answered by it. 
Frcm the uniform testimony of tra- 
velers and missionaries, it is evi- 
dent that among all heathen nations, 
particularly those of the East, lying 
ever has been, and still is, a practice 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER II. 



23 



6 But f she had brought them 

f See Ex. 1.17. 2 Sam. 17. 19. 



up to the roof of the house, and 



of universal prevalence, and of the 
criminality of which they have 
scarcely any sense. So weak is the 
feeling of obligation, as to the obser- 
vance of strict veracity, that even 
apparently sincere converts have 
the greatest difficulty in freeing 
themselves from the habit of equivo- 
cation, and need to be perpetually 
admonished on that score. (See 
Read's Christian Brahmun.) What 
wonder then that Rahab, a poor, ig- 
norant, heathen woman, upon whose 
mind the light of a saving knowl- 
edge had just begun to dawn, should 
have prevaricated in the trying cir- 
cumstances in which she was placed! 
How much allowance precisely is 
to be made for her on this ground 
we may not know; but God does. To 
him we may leave it. That it should 
go somewhat in abatement of her 
guilt, if guilty she were, we have no 
doubt. (2.) Apart from the above- 
mentioned consideration, it was tru- 
ly a difficult problem to be solved, 
how she should, under the circum- 
stances, act according to her faith. 
She fully believed that what the 
spies had told her was true. She 
says not, c I fear,' or * I believe,' but 
{ / know, that the Lord hath given 
you the land.' She was satisfied 
that it was in vain to fight against 
God, and what could she do ! If 
she had either told the truth or re- 
mained silent, she had betrayed the 
spies ; but if she believed them sent 
of God, could she have done this 
without sin 1 She knew, moreover, 
very well, that if these two spies were 
put to death, it would make no differ- 
ence whatever as to the issue of the 
contest. The whole city and its in- 
habitants would at any rate be de- 
stroyed. To what purpose then 
would it be to deliver up the spies ? 
It would not save one single life ; it 
would only be to continue fighting 
against God, and to bring on herself 
and her family that destruction 
which it was now in her power to 
avert. By concealing the spies she 



could in fact injure nobody, where- 
as by giving them up, she would 
sacrifice not them only, but also 
herself and her family. Was there 
then any other conceivable mode 
by which she could act accord- 
ing to her faith, than by practis- 
ing an imposition upon the king's 
officers 1 (3.) By the very fact of 
her exercising a firm faith in the 
divine testimony, she did virtually 
throw herself upon the side of Israel, 
and unite her interests with theirs. 
Henceforth their enemies were hers. 
If the Canaanites had no right to de- 
mand the truth of Israel, they had 
no right to demand it of her. If it 
would have been right for the Israel- 
ites to have recourse to a stratagem 
to mislead an enemy in arms, we 
see not why it was not equally right 
for her. But that the Israelites often 
did resort to such expedients in car- 
rying on their wars is beyond ques- 
tion, nor do the scriptures absolutely 
condemn them. They are certainly 
as lawful as war itself is. No one 
probably doubts that Elisha was jus- 
tified in deceiving the Syrian army, 
and leading them blinded from Do- 
tham, whither they had come to des- 
troy him, to Samaria, where they 
were brought into the power of the 
king of Israel. Considering Rahab 
then as really leagued with Israel 
against her countrymen, why is she 
not equally to be justified with Elisha 
in imposing upon her enemies 1 If 
they will suffer themselves to be de- 
ceived by her direction to pursue the 
spies another way, let them be de- 
ceived. The fidelity that she owed 
to God was entirely paramount to 
that which she owed her country, 
and she was bound to act accordingly. 
But whether we justify or condemn 
her conduct, it can afford no prece- 
dent to us. Before we can plead her 
example in justification of treachery 
or falsehood, we must be circum- 
stanced as she was. But this it is 
nearly impossible we ever should be. 
6. She had brought them up to the 



24 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 145L 



hid them with the stalks of flax, 
which she had laid in order upon 
the roof, 

7 And the men pursued after 
them the way to Jordan unto 
the fords : and as soon as they 
which pursued after them were 
gone out, they shut the gate. 

8 If And before they were 



roof of the house. This verse is also 
parenthetical, and designed to ex- 
plain more particularly the circum- 
stances of the concealment men- 
tioned, v. 4. The roofs of houses 
were then, as they still are in that 
country, flat, and being- furnished 
with such battlements or parapets, 
as were commanded to the Jews. 
Deut. 22. 8, were made use of for 
walking or sleeping upon, or for de- 
positing any kind of goods or chat- 
tels which could not be convenient- 
ly bestowed elsewhere. See ' Illus- 
trations of the Scriptures,' p. 159, 
414, 461. IT Hid them with the stalks 
of flax, &c. This was probably laid 
npon the roof, in order to dry in the 
sun, preparatory to beating and 
dressing it for the wheel on which it 
was to be spun. Had she kept a 
public-house, as some have supposed, 
she would have been less likely to 
have had her roof spread over with 
such an article. The original is ex- 
plicit in saying that the flax had 
been spread out or laid in order ( for 
herself,' as if for her own use* ; from 
which the inference is, we think, not 
inaptly drawn, that she possessed one 
at least of the characters of the vir- 
tuous woman, viz. that ' she sought 
wool and flax, and wrought willing- 
ly with her hands,' Prov. 31. 13, and 
perhaps, at this time, supported her- 
self in a way of honest industry. 

7. Unto the fords. Or, Heb.' pas- 
sages, crossing-places,' whether by 
boats, bridges, or fording. Probably 
there were several such places, and 
the pursuers may have divided them- 
selves into different companies, and 
directed their course to each of them. 



lain down, she came up unto 
them upon the roof; 

9 And she said unto the men, 
I know that the Lord hath given 
you the land, and that syour 
terror is fallen upon us, and that 
all the inhabitants of the land 
faint because of you. 

10 For we have heard how 

g Gen. 35. 5. Ex. 23. 27. Deut. 2. 25. & 11. 25. 

IT Shut the gate. Doubtless with es- 
pecial care, and perhaps setting an 
extra guard, both to bar out enemies 
that might be lurking in the neigh- 
borhood, and to prevent the escape 
of the spies, if perchance they still 
remained in the city. 

9. 1 know that the Lord hath given, 
&c. I know and am assured ; I am 
perfectly satisfied ; 1 have not a doubt. 
An emphatic declaration implying 
much more than a shrewd conjec- 
ture or strong suspicion from exist- 
ing circumstances that such would 
be the result. The words are ex- 
pressive of the strength of her faith. 
IT Your terror. The dread of you. 
See Ex. 23. 27.-34. 24. Deut. 11. 
25. — 28. 7. IT All the inhabitants of 
the land faint. Heb. c are melted, 
dissolved, liquefied.' Precisely the 
same expression is used, Ex. 15. 15, 
in reference to this very event : ' all 
the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt 
aivay.' It expresses, in the strong- 
est manner, the effect of the general 
consternation which had seized upon, 
the devoted nations, in view of con- 
tending with such a powerful foe — 
one which was under the special con- 
duct and protection of an almighty 
arm. Their very hearts quailed 
before the approach of Israel, in a cer- 
tain fearful looking for of judgment 
and vengeance at their hands. It was 
probably something more than a mere 
natural dread of a formidable ene- 
my ; it was a supernatural panic sent 
upon their spirits by the immediate 
power of God, a fearful presage of 
the destruction that awaited them. 

10. For toe have heard, &c. The 
first of these events, the drying up 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER II. 



25 



the Lord h dried up the water 
of the Red Sea for you, when 
ye came out of Egypt ; and 
»what ye did unto the two kings 
of the Amorites that icere on 
the other side Jordan, Sihon and 
Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 
11 And as soon as we had 
k heard these things, lour hearts 

h Ex. 14. 21. ch. 4. 23. i Num. 21. 24.34,35. 
k Ex. 15. 14, 15'. 1 ch. 5. 1. & 7. 5. Is. 13. 7. 



of the Red Sea, had happened forty 
years before, and though it had pro- 
duced a deep impression at the time, 
on all the surrounding nations, yet in 
the lapse of that long interval, which 
was a season granted them for repen- 
tance, it is not unlikeiy that their 
alarm had in great measure died 
away, till now it was revived again 
by their nearer approach, and by the 
recent overthrow of the two Amor- 
itish kings. The convictions of sin- 
ners are apt to come and go with 
the alarming or afflictive dispensa- 
tions of God's providence. So it is 
said of Israel of old, Ps. 78. 34—37, 
' when he slew them, then they sought 
him : and they returned (changed 
their mind) and inquired early after 
God. Nevertheless they did flatter 
him with their mouth, and they lied 
unto him with their tongues ; for their 
heart was not right with him, neither 
were they steadfast in his covenant.' 
11. And as soon as toe heard our 
hearts did melt. Heb. ' and we 
heard, and our heart did melt,' spo- 
ken as if the whole nation were one 
person, having one heart. The ori- 
ginal word for * melt,' though not 
precisely the same with that in v. 
9, is yet of kindred import, the meta- 
phor being taken from the melting 
of metals before the fire. IT Neither 
did there remain any more courage 
in any man. Heb. ' neither any 
more stood there up spirit in any 
man,' i. e. no man's spirit was erect 
within him ; every one's courage 
failed, and he became cowering and 
faint-hearted. IT Because of you. 
Heb. * from before you,' i. e. by rea- 
3* 



did melt, neither did there' re* 
main any more courage in any 
man, because of you : for ra the 
Lord your God, he is God in 
heaven above, and in earth be- 
neath. 

12 Now therefore, I pray 
you, n swear unto me by the 
Lord, since I have showed you 

m Deut. 4. 39. n See I Sam 20. 14, 15, 17, 



son of your presence. IF He is God 
in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 
As much as to say, ' The Lord your 
God is both omnipotent and omni- 
present;' a remarkable confession 
considering the previous ignorance 
and darkness of her mind. It was at 
once an acknowledgment of the true 
God, and a condemnation of the false 
gods and idolatrous worship of her 
countrymen, and showed a superna- 
tural influence of God upon her soul. 
He can cause the rays of truth to pe- 
netrate the thickest shades of that mo- 
ral midnight which broods over the 
minds of the unenlightened heathen, 
though we have no evidence that he 
ever does this, except in connection 
with some kind of external instru- 
mentality. 

12. Swear unto me by the Lord. 
This proposal still further displays 
the sincerity and the strength of her 
faith. While the people of Israel, 
with the miracles of the divine pow- 
er constantly before their eyes, were 
incessantly prone to stagger at the 
promises and give way to unbelief, 
she, upon the mere hearsay report 
of these wonders, is so firmly persua- 
ded of their truth, that she desires to 
enter covenant with the spies for her 
own preservation and that of her fam- 
ily. Though they were now in per- 
ilous circumstances, shut up within 
the walls of Jericho, and surrounded 
by enemies, yet she treats with them 
as if they had already stormed the 
city and had the power of life and 
death in their hands. So earnest is 
she in this matter, that she would have 
them ratify by an oath their agree- 



2e 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



kindness, that ye will also show 
kindness unto °my father's house, 
and pgive me a true token : 

13 And that ye will save alive 
my father, and my mother, and 
my brethren, and my sisters, 
and all that they have, and de- 
liver our lives from death. 

14 And the men answered her, 
Our life for yours, if ye utter 
not this our business. And it 

o See 1 Tim. 5. 8. p ver. 18. 



ment to save her. In like manner, a 
deep-rooted conviction of the danger 
hanging over the head of the sinner 
from the curse of a violated law, will 
prompt him to give all diligence to 
flee from the wrath to come and lay 
hold on eternal life, by joining him- 
self to God and his people. IT Shoioed 
you kindness. Heb. 'done you kind- 
ness.' IT Give me a true token. Heb. 
1 a token, or sign of truth, or certain- 
ty. 5 That is, a token which shall 
not deceive me; one which I may 
produce as a witness of this agree- 
ment ; one on the sight of which the 
Israelites shall forbear to hurt either 
me or mine. 

13. That ye loill save alive my fa- 
ther and my mother, &c. The same 
feelings which warn us to flee the 
coming wrath and make our own 
peace with God, will also incite us 
to do all in our power to promote the 
salvation of our families and kindred, 
by bringing them also within the 
bonds of the covenant. We shall 
feel that our work is but half done 
when our own souls are safe. 

14. Our life for yours. That is, 
we pawn and pledge our lives for 
the security of yours ; may our lives 
be destroyed, if we suffer yours to be 
injured. The exact rendering of the 
Heb. is, ' Let our soul be to die in- 
stead of you.' IT If ye utter not this 
ourbusiness. That is, if neither thou 
nor any of thy kindred (' ye') betray 
us when we are gone, or divulge this 
agreement, so that others may avail 
themselves of its conditions. ' They 



shall be, when the Lord hath 
given us the land, that %e will 
deal kindly and truly with thee. 

15 Then she r let them down 
by a cord through the window : 
for her house was upon the town- 
wall, and she dwelt upon the 
wall. 

16 And she said unto them, 
Get you to the mountain, lest 
the pursuers meet you ; and 

q Judg. 1. 24. Matt. 5. 7. r Acts 9. 25. 



that will be conscientious in keeping 
their promises, will be cautious in 
making them, and may perhaps in- 
sert conditions which others will 
think frivolous.' Henry. IT And 
it shall be, &c. Rather, ' that it shall 
be.' The words should be read in im- 
mediate connection with the forego- 
ing, of which they are a continua- 
tion, containing the promise which 
they make provided she will adhere 
to the conditions above stated. The 
present mode of punctuation gives a 
wrong, or at least an inadequate, view 
of the precise scope of the passage. 

15. Then she let them down, &e. 
That is, by the help of her friends or 
domestics. In like manner Paul 
made his escape from Damascus, 2 
Cor. 11. 33. The conversation men- 
tioned in the succeeding verses ap- 
pears to have taken place previous 
to their being let down from the win- 
dow ; for which reason Adam Clarke 
remarks, that the natural place of 
this verse is immediately after the 
first clause of v. 21. It is very un- 
likely that she would dismiss them 
before the above-mentioned condi- 
tions were agreed upon ; or that she 
would discourse with them of mat- 
ters of so much moment after they 
were let down, and were standing 
under the window, where others 
might overhear them; or that she 
would commence speaking to them 
in her chamber, and not finish till 
they had left the house. 

16. Get you to the mountain. That 
is, to the mountainous region in the 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER II. 



27 



hide yourselves there three days, 
until the pursuers be returned : 
and afterward may ye go your 
way. 

17 And the men said unto her, 
We will be "blameless of this 
thine oath which thou hast made 
us swear. 

18 ^Behold, when we come 
into the land, thou shalt bind 
this line of scarlet thread in the 
window which thou didst let us 
down by : u and thou shalt bring 
thy father, and thy mother, 
and thy brethren, and all thy 

s Ex. 20. 7. t ver. 12. u ch. 6. 23. 



vicinity ; not to any particular moun- 
tain. Jericho, as we have seen, was 
encompassed by a range of high hills. 
In some of the caves of these they 
might conceal themselves for the 
time specified. 

17. We will be blameless of this 
thine oath. It shall not be our fault 
if the said oath be not kept, provided 
the annexed conditions be punctu- 
ally observed on thy part. We will 
be free from the reproach of be- 
ing unfaithful to our engagements. 
These conditions they go on to state 
in the next verse. 

18. This line of scarlet thread. 
Rather ' this cord, 5 i. e. a line or cord, 
consisting of such a number of threads 
or braids, that when twisted together, 
they should be capable of sustaining 
the weight of a man's body ; for it 
seems to have been the very same 
cord with which they were let down 
from the window. This was to be a 
mark upon the house, of which the 
spies would inform the camp of 
Israel, so that no soldier, however 
fierce and eager he might be in the 
work of destruction, should offer any 
violence to the place thus distin- 
guished. It answered, therefore, the 
same purpose with the blood sprink- 
led upon the door-posts in Egypt, 
which secured the first-born from the 
destroying angei. IT Thou shalt bring 



father's household home unto 
thee. 

19 And it shall be, that who- 
soever shall go out of the doors 
of thy house into the street, his 
blood shall be upon his head, and 
we will be guiltless : and who- 
soever shall be with thee in the 
house, s his blood shall be on our 
head, if any hand be upon him. 

20 And if thou utter this our 
business, then we will be quit 
of thine oath which thou hast 
made us to swear. 

21 And she said, According 

x Matt. 27. 25. 



thy father and thy mother, &c. Heb. 
; shalt gather.' In no other way could 
Rahab's kindred be distinguish- 
ed from those who were to be de- 
voted to the sword. If they would 
not ' perish with them that believed 
not,' they must convey themselves 
to the only place of safety. If any 
of them had been met in the streets 
by the slaughtering Israelites, it 
would have availed them nothing to 
say, ' We belong to the house of Ra- 
hab.' The answer would be, ' If you 
belong to the house, why are you not 
in the house 1 We know you not.' 
So those who professedly belong to 
the church of Christ, if they would 
be saved, must keep close to the so- 
ciety of the faithful. If they are 
found mingled with the world in spi- - 
rit and pursuit, they have reason to 
fear being overwhelmed in its de- 
struction. 

19. His blood shall be upon his head. 
The guilt of his blood-shedding shall 
rest wholly upon himself. He shall 
have no one else to blame. He has 
failed to perform the conditions of 
the covenant, and so must suffer for 
it. IF If any hand be upon him. 
That is, so as to slay him. See a 
like phraseology, Deut. 17. 7. Est. 
6. 2. Job 1. 12. 

21. According to your words so be 
it. I readily agree to the terms; 



28 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



unto your words, so be it. And 
she sent them away, and they 
departed : and she bound the 
scarlet line in the window. 

22 And they went, and came 
unto the mountain, and abode 
there three days, until the pur- 
suers were returned : and the 
pursuers sought them throughout 
all the way, but found them not. 

23 IT So the two men returned, 
and descended from the moun- 
tain, and passed over, and came 
to Joshua the son of Nun, and 
told him all things that befel 
them : 



they are reasonable, and I have no- 
thing to say against them. IT And 
she bound the scarlet line in the win- 
dow. Probably not immediately, for 
fear of exciting suspicion, but in 
season, to avail herself of the benefit 
of it. 

22. Abode there three days. Not 
three entire days, but one whole 
day and part of two others. They 
were sent out on the sixth day of the 
month Nisan, and escaped from Jeri- 
cho the same night. The seventh 
day they spent in the mountains. 
On the eighth they returned to the 
camp. These three days are reck- 
oned in the same manner as the 
three days of our Lord's burial. 
Matt. 27. 64. 

23. Passed over. Over Jordan. 
IF Told him all things that befel 
them. Heb. 'all things that found 
them.' They probably made their 
report to Joshua alone, or to him in 
company with the elders, without 
whose concurrence no matter of im- 
portance seems to have been con- 
certed or undertaken. 

24. Do faint because of us. Heb. 
c are melted before our faces.' From 
this they drew the assured conclu- 
sion, that God was about to deliver 
the country into their hands. Those 



24 And they said unto Joshua, 
Truly nhe Lord hath deliver- 
ed into our hands all the land ; 
for even all the inhabitants of 
the country do faint because of 
us. 

CHAPTER III. 
A ND Joshua rose early in 
-*■*- the morning ; and they re- 
moved a from Shittim, and came 
to Jordan, he and all the children 
of Israel, and lodged there before 
they passed over. 

2 And it came to pass b after 
three days, that the officers 
went through the host : 



j Ex. 23. 31. ch. 6. 2. & 21. 44. 
b ch. 1. 10,11. 



a ch. 2. I. 



that were then deprived of their cour- 
age, would soon be deprived of their 
possessions. ' Sinners' frights are 
sometimes sure presages of their 
fall.' Henry. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Joshua rose early in the morn- 
ing. That is, on the morning of 
the third or fourth day after the 
proclamation mentioned, ch. 1. 11. 
Whether the spies had at this time 
returned or not is uncertain, though 
most probable that they had. IT Lodg- 
ed there before they passed over. 
That is, for one night. It would be 
more convenient for the congrega- 
tion to pass oyer in the day-time ; the 
miracle to be wrought would be 
more conspicuous ; and a greater ter- 
ror would be struck into the minds 
of the Canaanites. There is no evi- 
dence that the Israelites were in- 
formed of the manner in which they 
were to cross the river, yet they went 
forward in faith, being assured that 
they should pass it, ch. 1. 11. Duty 
often calls us to take one step with- 
out knowing how we shall take the 
next ; but if brought thus far by the 
leadings of Providence, and while 
engaged in his service, we may safe- 
ly leave the event to him. He will 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER III. 



29 



3 And they commanded the 
people, saying, c When ye see 
the ark of the covenant of the 
Lord your God, d and the priests 
the Levites bearing it, then ye 
shall remove from your place, 
and go after it. 

4 e Yet there shall be a space 
between you and it, about two 

c Set Num. 10. 33. d Deut. 31. 9 r 25. e Ex. 19. 12. 



cleave the flood or the rock rather 
than that the way of his servants 
should be obstructed. 

2. It came to pass after three days. 
In exact fulfilment of Joshua's de- 
claration, ch. 1. 10, 11. 

3. Commanded the people, &c. In 
the name and by the authority of 
Joshua, not of their own motion. 
IT The priests the Levites bearing it. 
The priests who are Levites, who 
belong to the tribe of Levi. Al- 
though it was ordinarily the duty of 
the sons of Kohath, who were merely 
Levites and not priests, to bear the 
ark, Num. 4. 15, yet it appears that on 
solemn occasions this arrangement 
might be departed from, and the of- 
fice performed by the priests, Josh. 
6. 6. IT Remove from your place. 
That is, break up from your encamp- 
ment, leave your tents, commence 
your march, v. 14. IT Go after it. 
Follow it. Go in the rear of it. 
Hitherto, under the conduct of Moses, 
the ark had held a different position. 
It was stationed in the centre while 
the host was encamped, and borne in 
the middle of the immense proces- 
sion when it set forward. But they 
then had the pillar of cloud by day 
and of fire by night to precede them. 
Now the cloud is removed, and the 
ark is transferred to the vanguard 
of the army, to go before. 

4. There shall be a space — about 
two thousand cubits. Two thousand 
cubits amounted to about one thou- 
sand yards, or three quarters of a 
mile, and this space was to intervene 
between them and the ark, in order 
that they might be impressed with a 



thousand cubits by measure : 
come not near unto it, that ye 
may know the way by which 
ye must go ; for ye have not 
passed this way heretofore. 

5 And Joshua said unto the 
people, f Sanctify yourselves : 
for to-morrow the Lord will do 
wonders among you. 

f Ex. 19. 10, 14, 15. Lev. 20. 7. Num. 11. 13. ch. 
7. 13. 1 Sam. 16. 5. Joel 2. 16. 

becoming awe and reverence of the 
symbol of the divine presence. They 
would see too, by this means, that in- 
stead of their protecting it, they owed 
all their protection to it. Another 
reason is expressed in the words im- 
mediately following. IT That ye 
may know the way by which ye must 
go. The ark was to be their pilot 
across the waters, and by being ad- 
vanced so far ahead of them, would 
be more conspicuous than if the peo- 
ple had gathered and pressed close 
around it. As it was put at such a 
distance before them, they would all 
have the satisfaction of seeing it, and 
would be animated by the sight. 
This was the more necessary, as the 
passage of the Jordan was an un- 
trodden way to them. IF Ye have 
not passed this way heretofore. Heb. 
1 Since yesterday and the third day ;' 
i. e. never hitherto. The same form 
of expression occurs, Gen. 31. 2. It 
is perhaps intimated, moreover, that 
they were now to cross the river, not 
at any usual fording place, but at 
some point entirely new, by a passage 
which should miraculously open be- 
fore them as the priests and the ark 
advanced. 

5. And Joshua said unto the people, 
Sanctify yourselves. Rather, ' had 
said, ' for as he speaks of ' to-mor- 
row,' the charge was probably given 
on the day previous to the one now 
current, on which they were passing 
over Jordan. The command now 
given was undoubtedly of the same 
import with that given by Moses, on 
the eve of the delivery of the law 
upon mount Sinai, Ex. 19. 10 — 14. 



30 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



6 And Joshua spake unto the 
priests, saying, eTake up the 
ark of the covenant, and pass 
over before the people. And 
they took up the ark of the cov- 
enant, and went before the 
people. 

7 IT And the Lord said unto 
Joshua, This day will I begin to 
h magnify thee in the sight of 

g Num. 4. 15. h ch. 4. 14. 1 Chr. 29. 25. 2 Chr. 
1. 1. 

They were to wash their persons and 
their garments, and to abstain from 
every thing that might indispose 
their minds to a serious and devout 
attention to the miracle about to be 
wrought in their behalf. A similar 
command was generally given on 
great and solemn occasions. Lev. 
20- 7, 8. Num. 11. 18. 1 Sam. 16. 
5. Joel 2. 16. The special manifest- 
ations of God's presence should be 
awaited by his people in a posture 
of deep humiliation, penitence, and 
prayer, and by diligent efforts to 
* cleanse themselves from all filthi- 
ness of flesh and spirit.' 

6. Take up the ark of the covenant, 
&c. Joshua in giving this command 
is not to be considered as acting on 
his own absolute authority, for it 
would have been too much for him 
to assume the responsibility ofchang- 
ing the usual order of march, without 
a divine direction. He was merely 
the organ of announcing the will of 
God in respect to this matter. He 
obeyed the commands of Heaven as 
the priests did his. IT They took up 
the ark of the covenant, and went be- 
fore the people. Heb. 'bore up, ' i. e. 

upon their shoulders, according to 
the direction, Num. 7. 9. 'A noble 
defiance of the enemies of Israel was 
thus given ; who were challenged to 
attack the unarmed priests, or to at- 
tempt to seize the unattended ark.' 
Scott. 

7. This day will I be gin to magni- 
fy thee, &c. To make thee great, to 
raise thee in the estimation of thy peo- 
ple, to confirm thine authority, and 



all Israel, that they may know 
that *as I was with Moses, so I 
will be with thee. 

8 And thou shalt command 
k the priests that bear the ark 
of the covenant, saying, When 
ye are come to the brink of the 
water of Jordan, iye shall stand 
still in Jordan. 

9 IF And Joshua said unto 



to clothe thee with honor. God had 
before put distinguished honor upon 
Joshua on several occasions, Ex. 24, 
13. Deut. 31. 7, but it had not been 
in so public and solemn a manner ; 
now he designs to magnify him as 
the successor of Moses in the gov- 
ernment. He was to be the visible 
instrument of working a mighty mir- 
acle in the eyes of the nation ; and 
from his circumstantially foretelling 
how the waters should be cut off, as 
soon as the feet of the priests should 
touch them, v. 13, it was demonstra- 
ted that the secret of the Lord was 
with him. True greatness belongs 
to those with whom God is, whom he 
employs in his service, and upon 
whom his blessing rests. The honor 
that comes from man may surround 
one with a temporary eclat, but let 
those that aspire to lasting and solid 
distinction seek it in the favor of God. 

8. Ye shall stand still in Jordan. 
They were first required to pause on 
the brink of the stream, till the chan- 
nel was laid dry, and then they seem 
to have advanced and took their sta- 
tion in the midst of it, till all the 
people had passed over. As the en- 
tire bed of the river below the resting 
point of the ark would become dry 
by the waters running off towards 
the Dead Sea, the congregation might 
pass over in that direction, having 
the ark on their right, and keeping 
at the prescribed distance of 2000 cu- 
bits. 

9. Come hither. Draw nigh to- 
wards me, as many as can come 
within hearing. 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER III. 



31 



the children of Israel, Come 
hither, and hear the words of 
the Lord your God. 

10 And Joshua said, Hereby 
ye shall know that m the living 
God is among you, and that he 
will without fail D drive out from 
before you the Canaan ites, and 
the Hittites, and the Hivites, 
and the Perizzites, and the 
Girgashites, and the Amorites, 
and the Jebusites. 

11 Behold, the ark of the cove- 
nant of °the Lord of all the 
earth passeth over before you 
into Jordan. 

12 Now therefore Ptake you 
twelve men out of the tribes of 

ni Deut. 5. 26. 1 Sam. 17. 26. 2 King* 19. 4. Hoe. 
1. 10. Mutt. 15. 16. 1 The**. 1. 9. n Ex. 33. 2. 
Deut. 7. 1. t J s. 44. 2. o ver. 13. Mic. 4. 13. 
Zech. 4. 14. & 6. 5. p ch. 4. 2. 

10. That the living God is among 
you. Not a dull, senseless, lifeless, 
inactive deity, like the gods of the 
heathen, but a God of life, power, and 
energy, able to work for you, and to 
put to confusion all your enemies. 

11. The ark of the covenant of the 
Lord of all the earth. The original 
will admit of being rendered, ' The 
ark of the covenant, even the Lord 
of all the earth ;' and it is contended, 
by many critics, that the ark of the 
covenant is called ' Lord,' or ' the 
Lord,' in repeated instances, partic- 
ularly Ex. 16. 33. Num. 10. 35, 36. 
1 Sam. 4. 7. This would seem to be 
confirmed by 2 Sam. 6. 2, ' And Da- 
vid arose and went with all the peo- 
ple that were with him, from Baale 
of Judah, to bring up from thence 
the ark of God, whose name is called 
by the name of the Lord of hosts.'' 
Such a title, however, could only be 
applied on the ground of its being 
the visible symbol of the divine pres- 
ence, and of the close connection 
subsisting between the sign and the 
thing signified. 

12. Take ye twelve men out of the 



Israel, out of every tribe a man. 

13 And it shall come to pass, 
^as soon as the soles of the feet 
of the priests that bear the ark 
of the Lord, r the Lord of all 
the earth, shall rest in the waters 
of Jordan, that the waters of 
Jordan shall be cut off from the 
waters that come down from 
above ; and they s shall stand 
upon a heap. 

14 II And it came to pass, 
when the people removed from 
their tents to pass over Jordan, 
and the priests bearing the f ark 
of the covenant before the peo- 
ple ; 

15 And as they that bare the 

q ver. 15, 16. r ver. 11. & Pi. 78. 13. & 114. 3. 
t Acis 7. 45. 



tribes of Israel. The object of this 
selection is afterwards explained, ch. 
4. 4, 5. They were now to be cho- 
sen, and to stand ready at a moment's 
warning, for the service to which 
they were set apart. 

13. The waters of Jordan shall be 
cut off from ike waters that come down 
from above. More correctly render- 
ed, ' the waters of Jordan shall be 
cut off, even the waters that descend 
from above ;' but whether he speaks 
in these words of the mass of waters 
remaining above the ark, that they 
were to be cut off from those below, 
which would be speedily drained off, 
and leave the channel bare ; or whe- 
ther the ( waters that come down 
from above,' mean those that flowed 
downwards from the point where 
the ark stood above, while the rest 
stood as a heap, it is difficult to de- 
termine. Comparing this, however, 
with v. 16, the first interpretation 
we think the most probable. This 
seems to have been the first intima- 
tion given to the people as to the 
manner in which they were to cross 
the river. 



32 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



ark were come unto Jordan, and 
u the feet of the priests that bare 
the ark were dipped in the brim 
of the water, (for x Jordan over- 
flowed all his banks ?all the 
time of harvest,) 

16 That the waters which 
came down from above stood 
and rose up upon a heap very 
far from the city Adam, that is 
beside z Zaretan ; and those that 
came down Howard the sea of 
the plain, even b the salt sea, 
failed and were cut off: and 

u rer. 13. x 1 Chr. 12. 15. Jer. 12. 5. A 49. 19. 
y ch. 4. 18. & 5. 10, 12. z 1 KinjiR 4. 12. & 7. 46 

a Deut. 3. 17. b Gen. 14. 3. Num. 34. 3. 



15. Jordan overfloweth all his banks 
all the time of harvest. That is, the 
time of the barley harvest ; which be- 
gan in that country in our March or 
April. 1 Chron. 12. 15. This inun- 
dation arose from the melting of the 
snows upon Mount Lebanon, in 
which the Jordan takes its rise. It 
probably took place on this occasion 
just before Israel was to pass over, 
and served to render the miracle far 
more stupendous and unquestion- 
able. Indeed we may suppose that 
this season was chosen expressly, in 
order that God might have the better 
opportunity to convince his people 
of his almighty power; that they 
were under his immediate care and 
protection ; and that they might 
never cease to confide in him in 
view of the most appalling dangers. 
1 Though the ■ opposition given to 
the salvation of God's people have 
all imaginable advantages, yet God 
can and will conquer it. 5 Henry. 

16.. Stood and rose up upon a heap. 
Being checked in their course they 
continued to accumulate and swell 
higher and higher, till they filled up 
the channel to a great distance to- 
wards the source of the river. Prob- 
ably another miracle was wrought 
in restraining the waters thus piled 
up from deluging the adjacent coun- 



the people passed over right 
against Jericho. 

17 And the priests that bare 
the ark of the covenant of the 
Lord stood firm on dry ground 
in the midst of Jordan, c and all 
the Israelites passed over on dry 
ground, until all the people were 
passed clean over Jordan. 
CHAPTER IV. 
\ ND it came to pass, when all 
■**- the people were clean pass- 
ed a over Jordan, that the Lord 
spake unto Joshua, saying, 

e See Ex. 14. 29. a Deut. 27. 2. ch. 3. 17. 



try. IT From the city Adam that 
is beside Zaretan. The position of 
these cities is not easily ascertained^ 
As to the first, nothing is known ; 
and perhaps it was even then so ob- 
scure as to be described by its near- 
ness to Zaretan, a place of more no- 
toriety. This we learn from 1 Kings 
4. 12, was situated below Jezreel, 
near Beth-shean or Scythopolis, and 
not far from Succoth ; but Succoth, 
as appears from Gen. 33. 17. Josh. 
13. 27, lay on the east of Jordan, not 
far from the lake of Gennesaret, and 
somewhere in this immediate vici- 
nity, doubtless, was Adam situated. 
H Passed over right against Jericho. 
It is probable that the people crossed 
the river at what was afterwards 
called Beth-abara, or house of pas- 
sage, which seems to have derived its 
name from this very circumstance. 
It was here that John baptised, John 
1. 28, and that Jesus, as well as Josh- 
ua, began to be magnified. 

17. And the priests — stood firm on 
the dry ground. Stood fixedly and 
immovable in the same place and 
posture, neither pressed upon by the 
waters, nor sinking in the mire, nor 
shifting their position. It is proba- 
ble, too, that they continued bearing 
the ark on their shoulders during: 
the whole time of their standing. 



A. C. 145L] 



CHAPTER IV. 



38 



2 b Take you twelve men out 
of the people, out of every tribe 
a man. 

3 And command ye them, 
saying, Take you hence out of 
the midst of Jordan, out of the 
place where c the priests' feet 
stood firm, twelve stones, and 
ye shall carry them over with 
you, and leave them in d the 
lodging- place where ye shall 
lodge this night. 

4 Tiien Joshua called the 

b ch. 3. 12. c ch. 3. 13. d ver. 19. 20. 



CHAPTER IV. 

2. Take you twelve men, &c. Heb. 
1 take ye for yourselves,' pi. though 
addressed to Joshua ; an usage of 
speech founded upon the union be- 
tween a leader or ruler, and his peo- 
ple. Nothing would appear from 
the phraseology itself to intimate 
that any such command had been 
before given, but as we know there 
had, ch. 3. 1*2, the twelve men here 
spoken of are to be understood of 
those already chosen to this service. 

3. Command ye them. Another 
instance of the phraseology noticed 
above. Joshua is addressed con- 
jointly with the people, and required 
to give the annexed order. IF Leave 
them in the lodging-place where ye 
shall lodge this night. This was 
Gilgal, as appears from v.. 19, 20, a 
place somewhat more than six miles 
from the river Jordan. 

4. Whom he had prepared. Whom 
he had before chosen and appointed 
to that work, with a command that 
they should hold themselves in read- 
iness for it. The stones were prob- 
ably each of them as large as one 
man could conveniently carry. 

5. Pass over before the ark. These 
twelve men had probably hitherto re- 
mained, from motives of reverence, 
somewhat behind the ark, perhaps 
near to the eastern bank of the river. 
They are now commanded to ad- 
vance, and picking up the stones near 

4 



twelve men, whom he had pre- 
pared of the children of Israel, 
out of every tribe a man : 

5 And Joshua said unto them, 
Pass over before the ark of the 
Lord your God into the midst 
of Jordan, and take you up 
every man of you a stone upon 
his shoulder, according unto the 
number of the tribe3 of the chil- 
dren of Israel : 

6 That this may be a sign 
among you, that e when your 



e ver. 2h Ex. 12. ! 
44. I. & 78. 3, 4, 5, 6. 



5. & 13. 14. Dent. 6. 20. Ps. 



the place where the priests stood, to 
' pass over before the ark,' and thus 
emerge from the bed of Jordan, and 
when arrived to deposit the stones in 
the place commanded. Otherwise 
the words must be understood to im- 
ply, that after passing over with the 
congregation, the twelve men were 
to pass back again to the place where 
the ark stood, and thence transport 
the stones ; which we cannot but re- 
gard as a violent construction. 

6. That this may be a sign among 
you. A sign that shall permanently 
remain among you ; a monument or 
memorial ; a conspicuous object, 
which shall be a standing witness of 
the wonderful event that has this day 
happened. Heaps, or pillars of stone, 
in commemoration of great events, 
such as covenants, victories, &c, 
have been common among all nations 
from the earliest ages. See Gen. 
31. 46. Ex. 24. 4. In the present case, 
though there was no inscription on 
the stones, yet from the number of 
them, and from the place where they 
stood, it would be evident that they 
pointed to some memorable transac- 
tion, and of this it was to be the duty 
of each generation to keep its suc- 
cessors informed . It would likewise 
serve as a standing proof in corrob- 
oration of the matter of fact to those 
who might, in after ages, question 
the truth of the written history. The 
record of this great event might in- 



34 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



children ask their fathers in 
time to come, saying, What 
mean ye by these stones ? 

7 Then ye shall answer them, 
That f the waters of Jordan 
were cut off before the ark of 
the covenant of the Lord; when 
it passed over Jordan, the waters 
of Jordan were cut off: and 
these stones shall be for »a 
memorial unto the children of 
Israel for ever. 

f ch. 3. 13, 16. g Ex. 12. 14. Nam. 16. 40. 



deed be read in the sacred writings, 
but God, who knows the frame of his 
creatures, and how much they are 
influenced by the objects of sense, 
kindly ordered an expedient for keep- 
ing it in more lively remembrance 
from age to age. So he has provi- 
ded the sacrament of the Lord's sup- 
per to aid our understandings and 
affect our hearts by sensible symbols, 
though the same great truths which 
they represent are plainly delivered 
in words in the inspired oracles. 
IT When your children ask. Heb. 
c when your sons ask ;' i. e. your de- 
scendants ; not little children merely, 
but your posterity of whatever age. 
IT In time to come. Heb. ' to-morrow ;' 
often used in the original to signify 
indefinitely all future time. Gen. 30. 
33. In like manner ' yesterday ' is 
used in a general sense for all past 
time , as Heb. 13. 8, ' Jesus Christ, the 
same yesterday, and to-day, and for- 
ever.' IT What mean ye by these stones ? 
Heb. * what these stones to you V 

7. Then shall ye answer them, 
That the waters, &c. This clause, 
as appears from the original, requires 
to be supplied thus, ' Then shall ye 
answer, These stones are designed 
to commemorate the fact that the wa- 
ters/ &c. Such is undoubtedly the 
true grammatical dependence of the 
conjunction that. If Cut off before the 
ark. As it were, at the sight of it, 
at its first approach. The clause res- 
pecting the cutting off of the waters 
of Jordan occurs again in the same 



8 And the children of Israel 
did so as Joshua commanded, 
and took up twelve stones out 
of the midst of Jordan, as the 
Lord spake unto Joshua, accord- 
ing to the number of the tribes 
of the children of Israel, and car- 
ried them over with them unto 
the place where they lodged, 
and laid them down there. 

9 And Joshua set up twelve 
stones in the midst of Jordan, in 



words towards the end of the verse, 
to intimate, perhaps, the wonderful 
character of the miracle, and that a 
fact of such a stupendous nature 
should be repeated again and again 
in the hearing of those who were to 
be instructed. IT A memorial unto 
the children of Israel. To them par- 
ticularly and primarily, but not ex- 
clusively ; for the monument was 
calculated to be a witness and a 
standing reproof also to the heathen 
nations around. IT For ever. For 
an indefinite period of time ; as long 
as the nation should endure. 

8. The children of Israel did so. 
That is, the twelve men, who acted 
as the representatives of the whole 
body of the children of Israel and 
therefore bear their name. A com- 
pany or community is often said in 
the Scriptures to do that which is 
done by their constituted agents. 

9. Joshua set up twelve stones in the 
midst of Jordan. Two sets of stones 
therefore were erected in memory of 
this miraculous passage, one at Gil- 
gal, the other in the bed of Jordan. 
Should it be asked how the latter 
could serve as a monument, placed as 
they were in the middle of the stream, 
and liable to be concealed below the 
surface, we answer, that as nothing is 
said of their being each of them, like 
the others, of a size suitable, for one 
man to carry, they might have been 
vastly larger, and so based upon a 
lower heap as to be generally visible, 
and thus indicate the Very spot where 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



35 



the place where the feet of the 
priests which bare the ark of the 
covenant stood : and they are 
there unto this day. 

10 IT For the priests which 
bare the ark stood in the midst 
of Jordan, until every thing was 
finished that the Lord com- 
manded Joshua to speak unto 
the people, according to all that 
Moses commanded Joshua : and 



the priests stood with the ark ; for it 
is to be remarked, that the Jordan, at 
its ordinary stages, is not a deep river, 
and that its waters are remarkably 
clear and transparent, so that an ob- 
ject like this might probably always 
be seen except in the time of a high 
freshet. From the native force of 
the Heb. term for ' set up,' which is 
properly to ' rear up,' ' to erect,' i. e. 
to raise to a considerable height, it 
may be reasonably inferred that they 
were placed so as to be ordinarily 
visible. IT In the place yjhere the feet 
of the priests — stood. Heb. ' under 
the standing-place of the feet of the 
priests.' It was here that the heap of 
stones was to be erected, but from 
whence they were taken is not said. 
From aught that appears in the text 
they might have been gathered in 
the adjacent fields, as some commen- 
tators have imagined. IT And they 
are there unto this day. Either the 
words of Joshua, who wrote this his- 
tory near the close of his life, and 
about twenty years after the event 
occurred, or added at a subsequent 
period by Samuel or Ezra, or some 
other inspired man or men by whom 
the sacred canon was revised. 

10- According to all that Moses 
commanded Joshua. It does not ap- 
pear that Moses any where gave 
Joshua a charge respecting this pas- 
sage of Israel over the Jordan. The 
words therefore are to be understood 
of the general instructions given him 
by Moses, requiring him to follow 
the divine conduct in all particulars, 



the people hasted and passed 
over. 

1 1 And it came to pass, when 
all the people were clean passed 
over, that the ark of the Lord 
passed over, and the priests in 
the presence of the people. 

12 And h the children of 
Reuben, and the children of Gad, 
and half the tribe of Manasseh, 
passed over armed before the 

h Num. 32. 20, 27, 28. 



as made known to him through the 
agency of Eleazar the High Priest. 
Num. 27. 21—23. So he did on the 
present occasion. IF The people 
hasted and passed over. Perhaps 
under some apprehensions that the 
standing mass of waters on their 
right, might be suffered to give way 
while they were crossing. Even 
where the general acting of faith is 
strong, the weakness of nature some- 
times causes the spirit to waver.-This 
passage of the Israelites through the 
Jordan, is not improperly considered 
as an emblem of the christian's trans- 
ition from the dreary wilderness of 
this world to the Canaan that is above. 
When the time is arrived for passing 
by that unknown, untrodden path, 
we are apt to fear lest we should sink 
in the deep waters, and never attain 
the wished for end. But God has 
promised to be with us, to make l the 
depths of the sea a way for the ran- 
somed to pass over,' and to bring us 
in safety to the land that floweth with 
milk and honey. The ark of his cov- 
enant will go before, both for our 
guidance and protection, and under 
its conduct, we may cheerfully bid 
adieu to the friends who stand weep- 
ing on the bank. 

11. In the presence of the people. 
Who stood upon the bank beholding 
with admiration and awe the last act 
of this great miracle. 

12. Passed over armed before the 
children of Israel. The original 
phrase here is precisely the same 
with that rendered in the preceding 



36 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



children of Israel, as Moses 
spake unto them : 

13 About forty thousand pre- 
pared for war, passed over be- 
fore the Lord unto battle, to the 
plains of Jericho. 

14 IT On that day the Lord 
^magnified Joshua in the sight of 
all Israel, and they feared him 
as they feared Moses, all the 
days of his life. 

15 And the Lord spake unto 
Joshua, saying, 

16 Command the priests that 
bear k the ark of the testimony, 
that they come up out of Jordan. 

i ch. 3. 7. k Ex. 25. 16, 22. 

verse, in ' the presence of;' and, as we 
conceive, does not clearly intimate 
that they led the van, for the order 
<3f marching of the different tribes 
had been expressly prescribed in the 
wilderness, Num. 10; and it is not 
probable that it was departed from 
on this occasion. According to this 
order the tribe of Judah had the 
precedence. What is affirmed of 
the two tribes and a half here, we 
suppose is, that in pursuance of their 
promises, ch. 1. 16 — 18, they passed 
over ' in the presence' of their breth- 
ren, who were thus all witnesses to 
their fidelity. 

13. Passed over before the Lord. 
That is, probably , before the ark of 
the Lord, the symbol of the divine 
presence. Otherwise it may imply 
1 as in the sight of the Lord,' ' reli- 
giously,' ' conscientiously, 3 

14. Magnified Joshua, Caused 
him to stand high in the esteem and 
respect of the people, so that they 
henceforth yielded to him the same 
reverential fear and ready obedience 
which they had done to, Moses. God 
now fully confirmed his authority, 
and showed that He was with him. 
That honor is ever most to be desired 
which is the result of a strict, con- 
scientious, and uniform observance 
of all the divine precepts, 



17 Joshua therefore com- 
manded the priests, saying. 
Come ye up out of Jordan. 

18 And it came to pass, when 
the priests that bare the ark of 
the covenant of the Lord were 
come up out of the midst of Jor- 
dan, and the soles of the priests' 
feet were lifted up unto the dry 
land, that the waters of Jordan 
returned unto their place, land 
flowed over all his banks, as 
they did before. 

19 IT And the people came up 
out of Jordan on the tenth day 
of the first month, and encamped 



15. The Lord spake unto Joshua 
saying. This may be rendered ' had 
spoken,' and the whole paragraph, 
v. 15 — 19, be considered as a detail-" 
ed account of what is stated more 
generally, v.. 1 1 . These verses seem 
designed to acquaint us with the 
main ground or reason to which, 
under God, it was owing that Joshua 
was so signally magnified on that oc- 
casion. ' The priests did not quit their 
station till Joshua, who had com- 
manded them thither, ordered them 
thence ; nor did he thus order them 
till the Lord commanded him: so 
obedient were all parties to the word 
of God.' Scott. 

18. The soles of the priests 1 feet 
were lifted up unto the dry land. 
Heb. ' were plucked up.' As upon 
the entrance into the river, the stream 
was cut off as soon as the soles of 
the priests' feet touched the water, 
ch, 3, 15, so now as soon as they 
touched the dryland it again resumes 
its natural course. This would 
make it evident that the arrest of the 
river was the effect solely of divine 
power, and not owing to any secret 
natural cause. IT Flowed over all 
his banks as they did before, Heb. 
' went as yesterday and the third 
(day) on all his banks.' 

19, On the tenth day of the first 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



37 



m in Gilgal, in the east border 
of Jericho. 

20 And "those twelve stones 
which they took out of Jordan, 
did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. 

21 And he spake unto the 
children of Israel, saying, 
°When your children shall ask 
their fathers in time to come, 
saying, What mean these stones ? 

22 Then ye shall let your 

m ch. 5. 9. n ver. 3. o ver. 6. 



month. That is, of the month Nisan, 
just forty years, lacking five days, 
after their departure out of Egypt. 
This was four days before the an- 
nual feast of the Passover, and on 
the very day when the paschal Lamb 
was to be set apart for this purpose, 
Ex. 12. 3 ; God having so ordered it 
in his providence, that their entrance 
into the promised land should coin- 
cide with the period of that festival. 
IT And encamped in Gilgal. In 
the place afterwards called Gilgal, 
ch. 5. 9, for here the name is given 
it by anticipation. It is doubtful 
whether there was either city or 
town in that place before the arrival 
of the Israelites. 

20. Did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. 
Heb. ' erect, rear up.' A foundation 
of stone-w T ork or a mound of earth, 
was probably first laid, of consider- 
able height, and then the twelve stones 
placed on the top of it; for twelve 
such stones as a man could carry six 
miles on his shoulder, could scarcely 
have made any observable pile or pil- 
lar of memorial ; but erected on such 
a base as we have supposed, they 
would be very conspicuous, and 
strikingly answer the purpose for 
which they were designed. 

21. Shall ask — in time to come. 
Heb. ' to-morrow.' See v. 6, 7. From 
their number, size, position, &c, and 
from there not being any others near 
them of the same kind, they would 
naturally excite inquiries, 'How 
came these stones here? What is 

4* 



children know, saying, plsrael 
came over this Jordan on dry 
land. 

23 For the Lord your God 
dried up the waters of Jordan 
from before you, until ye were 
passed over, as the Lord your 
God did to the Red sea, ^which 
he dried up from before us, until 
we were gone over : 

24 r That all the people of 



p ch. 3 17. q Ex. 14. 21. 
2 Kings 19. 19. Ps. 106. 8. 



r 1 Kings 8. 42, 43. 



meant by them V This would afford 
to parents an excellent opportunity 
to turn to account the inquisitiveness 
of their children, to make them early 
acquainted with the wonderful works 
of God, and to train them up in his 
fear. We should encourage young 
people to seek instruction, and should 
be glad of every thing that may af- 
ford us an occasion of making known 
to them the wonders of redeeming 
love. 

22. Israel came over this Jordan on 
dry land. In commemoration of 
which remarkable fact, these stones 
are placed here. 

23. For the Lord your God dried 
up the waters of Jordan from before 
you. The parents are still supposed 
to be speaking to their children. It 
is remarkable that they address them 
as if they were living and present at 
the miraculous passage of the Jor- 
dan, whereas they then existed only 
in the loins of their fathers. But it is 
not uncommon for the sacred writers 
to speak of the nation of Israel, 
through every period of its existence, 
as if they were but of one generation, 
so that what really happened to those 
that lived at one age, is said to have 
happened to those that lived at ano- 
ther, perhaps far remote. This gives 
us a very impressive idea of the light 
in which God viewed that people, 
viz. as morally one, as one great col- 
lective person continually subsisting. 
Thus Ps. 66. 6, the writer speaks as 
if he and his contemporaries were 



38 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



the earth might know the hand 
of the Lord, that it is s mighty : 
that ye might tfear the Lord 
your God for ever. 



A 



CHAPTER V. 

ND it came to pass, when 
all the kings of the Amorites 

a Ex. 15. 16. 1 Chr. 29. 12. Ps. 89. 13. t Ex. 

14. 31. Deut. 6. 2. Ps. 89, 7. Jer. 10. 7. 

personally present at the passage of 
the Red Sea, ' He turned the sea into 
dry land: they went through the 
flood on foot ; there did we rejoice in 
him,' though this happened ages be- 
fore their time. So also our Savior 
speaks as if the Jews of his day were 
living in the days of Moses, John 6. 
32, * Verily I say unto you, Moses 
gave you not that bread from heaven.' 
On the same principle Joshua speaks 
here. IT The Red Sea, which he 
dried up from before us. This is 
another instance of the usage just 
adverted to. He speaks of the Red 
Sea's being dried up from before the 
people whom he then addressed, 
whereas none of that generation 
were now living except himself and 
Caleb, the rest of them having per- 
ished in the wilderness through unbe- 
lief and rebellion. 



CHAPTER. V. 

1. And it came to pass, &c. As this 
verse is much more intimately rela- 
ted to what goes before than to what 
follows, it would probably have been 
better to have joined it to the prece- 
ding chapter. The present would 
then have commenced with an en- 
tirely new subject. If All the kings 
of the Amorites — and of the Canaan- 
ites. As the whole land of Canaan 
was of comparatively small extent, 
the several nations as they are called, 
which inhabited it, must have been 
mere clans or hordes, and what are 
termed their kings nothing more than 
petty chieftains, ruling over territo- 
ries scarcely larger than the coun- 
ties in many of the states of the 
American union. The term king, 



which were on the side of Jordan 
westward, and all the kings of 
the Canaanites a which were by 
the sea, b heard that the Lord 
had dried up the waters of Jor- 
dan from before the children of 
Israel, until we were passed over, 
that their heart melted ; c nei- 

a Num. 13. 29. b Ex. 15. 14, 15. cb. 2. 9, 10, 11. 
Ps. 48. 6. Ezek. 21. 7. c 1 Kings 10. 5. 



in modern usage, conveys the idea 
of a power and dominion alto- 
gether more extensive than was 
possessed by these petty potentates. 
The Amorites and the Canaanites 
here mentioned probably stand for 
the whole of the devoted nations, 
they being specified on account 
of their superiority to the rest 
in numbers, power, and courage. 
The nation of the Amorites occu- 
pied both sides of the Jordan; two 
of their kings, Sihon and Og, had 
already been slain on the eastern 
side. Deut. 4. 46, 47. IT Which 
were by the sea. The Mediterranean 
sea ; along the coasts of which the 
Canaanitish tribes,properly so called, 
were spread. This region was after- 
wards known by the name of Phoe- 
nicia, of which Tyre and Sidon 
were the principal cities. On this 
account the same person who is 
called 'a woman of Canaan' by 
Matthew, 15. 22, is called by Luke, 
7. 26, ' a Syro-Phcenician.' TF Had 
dried up the waters of Jordan. 
Which they regarded as the natu- 
ral bulwark of their country, one too 
strong for the enemy to break through, 
especially during the season of its 
annual overflow. It should seem 
that the Canaanites, if they had acted 
according to the rules of war, would 
have opposed the Israelites in their 
passage. But the destruction of Pha- 
raoh at theRed Sea, some time before, 
and the recent victories over Sihon 
and Og, had spread such a panic 
through the land, that they did not 
dare to avail themselves of any sup- 
posed advantage, lest they should 
perish after their example. The 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER V. 



ther was there spirit in them 
any more, because of the chil- 
dren of Israel. 



event, indeed, shows how vain any at- 
tempt on their part would have been. 
It shows too that when the measure of 
any people's iniquities is full, they 
shall in no wise escape the vengeance 
of God. Whatever obstacles may ap- 

Eear to lie in the way, and whatever 
airier an ungodly world may have, 
or think they have, for their defence, 
God will surely make a way for his 
indignation. Opposing myriads shall 
be only as the stubble before the fire of 
his wrath. V Until we icere passed 
over. These words intimate the wri- 
ter to have been one of the company. 
IT Their heart melted. In modern 
language we read of the heart melt- 
ing with pity and being dissolved 
with grief. The sacred writers, on 
this and similar occasions, apply the 
same metaphor, with equal truth and 
beauty, to the operation of fear and 
terror. IT Neither was there spirit 
in them any more. The special prov- 
idence of God is to be recognized in 
the panic which fell upon these na- 
tions at this particular juncture. It 
gave the Israelites just the opportu- 
nity they required, to administer the 
rite of circumcision, and to keep the 
Passover securely and without dis- 
turbance. Had it been otherwise, 
and had the Canaanites attacked 
them, as Simeon and Levi did the 
Shechemites when they were sore, they 
would have taken them at every dis- 
advantage. 

2. At that time. As if in allusion to 
the remarkable circumstances by 
which they were now surrounded ; 
encamped ia the midst of an enemy's 
country, and yet that enemy provi- 
dentially restrained from harming 
them, so that they were commanded, 
as if in their very sight and presence, 
to reduce themselves to a condition 
of comparative weakness and help- 
lessness. ' This formed a very great 
trial of their faith, and their prompt 
and universal obedience in such crit- 



2 11 At that time the Lord 
said unto Joshua, Make thee 
d sharp knives, and circumcise 



ical circumstances, manifested a con- 
fidence in the Lord's protection, and 
a submission to his will, which con- 
firm the sentiment that this was the 
best of all the generations of Israel.' 
Scott. IT Make thee sharp knives. 
Heb. c prepare, make ready, knives 
of rock, stone, or flint.' Of such ma- 
terials were the edge-tools of all na- 
tions made before the use of iron 
became common. At this day, 
among most of the savage tribes in- 
habiting the islands of the sea, or 
other barbarous climes, the same 
custom prevails. Their knives, and 
also their arrows and spear-heads, are 
made of stone ; and similar relics of 
the aborigines of our own country 
are often turned up by the plough. 
It is not probable that the Israelites 
were altogether strangers to the use 
of iron, or were unfurnished with 
various metallic tools, as their differ- 
ent fabrications in the wilderness 
force upon us the belief that they 
must have employed both iron and 
steel ; but from the case of Zipporah, 
Ex. 4. 25, it appears to have been un- 
lawful to use any kind of metal in 
this religious rite, and this opinion 
is confirmed by the practice of a tribe 
in Ethiopia at this day, who, profess- 
ing to follow the Mosaic institution, 
perform the rite of circumcision, ac- 
cording to Ludolf, with knives of 
stone. It is supposed too that such 
instruments were not so liable to 
cause inflammation, as knives or 
razors of metal. IT And circumcise 
again the children of Israel the second 
time. Heb. 'return (and) circum- 
cise.' This is not to be understood as 
a command to repeat circumcision on 
those individuals who had already 
received it. This would have been 
at once unnecessary and impractica- 
ble. It merely implies that they 
were to renew the observance of a 
rite which had been neglected in 
their travels in the desert. The 



40 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



again the children of Israel the 
second time. 

3 And Joshua made him sharp 
knives, and circumcised the chil- 



command was given now, at this 
early period after their entrance into 
the promised land, (1) That the re- 
proach of Egypt might be rolled 
away ; (2) That they might be duly 
prepared to celebrate the Passover, 
of which none might eat who were 
uncircumcised, Ex. 12. 48 ; and (3) 
As a trial of their faith under the cir- 
cumstances in which they were now 
placed, surrounded by enemies in- 
tent upon their destruction, and who 
could desire no greater advantage 
than such a crippled state of their 
invaders would give them. ' There 
is a general circumcision now of the 
people, as there had been at their 
coming out of Egypt ; and as God 
then closed the Egyptians in three 
day's darkness that they could not 
stir, so now he striketh the Canaan- 
ites with terror, that they dare not 
stir to hurt the people while they 
were sore. Circumcision sealed the 
lease of the land of Canaan ; and 
therefore as soon as they set foot on 
it they must be circumcised. ' Light- 
foot. Had Joshua acted on the prin- 
ciples common to all other generals, 
when invading an enemy's country, 
he would either have prosecuted his 
advantages instantly, while his ene- 
mies were filled with terror, and 
crushed them before they had time 
to prepare for their defence ; or he 
would have fortified his own camp 
to prevent surprise, and to be in con- 
stant readiness for any emergency 
that might arise. But instead of 
adopting any military plans what- 
ever, the very day after he had in- 
vaded the country, without waiting 
to know what effect the invasion 
would have, he appoints nearly every 
male in the congregation to be cir- 
cumcised! Thus by one act disa- 
bling the greater part of his whole 
army from even standing in their 
own defence ! What but a principle 



dren of Israel at the hill of the 
foreskins. 

4 And this is the cause why 
Joshua did circumcise : e All the 

e Num. 14. 29. & 26. 64, 65. Deut. 2. 16. 

of the most triumphant faith could 
have brought them to submit to such 
an injunction as this 1 

3. And Joshua made him sharp 
knives. That is, he caused them to 
be made, they were made by his or- 
der. IT Circumcised the children of 
Israel. Meaning those of them who 
had not been already circumcised, 
those who had been born in the wil- 
derness and were under forty years 
of age. This he did by means of his 
agents. As the number to whom the 
rite was to be administered was im- 
mensely large, and the time allotted 
for it short, a great many hands must 
necessarily have been engaged in it. 
Probably any one who was him- 
self circumcised, was authorised to 
perform it. In ordinary circum- 
stances it is proper to stand upon in- 
stituted observances with great ex- 
actness, and to have religious rites 
performed by appropriate officers, 
but when peculiar emergencies arise, 
such scrupulousness must sometimes 
be waived, and rituals give way to 
essentials. God will have mercy ra- 
ther than sacrifice, when only one 
can be rendered him. IT At the hill 
of the foreskins. So called from the 
hillock of foreskins, the result of the 
transaction. 

4. And this is the cause, &c. The 
omission in this case was probably 
with the divine connivance, as the 
people knew not the precise times 
when they were to march, and a re- 
moval immediately after the opera- 
tion might have been dangerous to 
tender infants. Moreover, as one 
design of this rite was to distinguish 
the Israelites from all other people, 
it was not so necessary to be admin- 
istered while they were secluded 
from the world, for forty years in the 
wilderness. This instance, however, 
is not to be pleaded as authorising 
the neglect or postponement of any 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER V. 



41 



people that came out of Egypt, 
that were males, even all the men 
of war died in the wilderness by 
the way, after they came out 
of Egypt. 

5 Now all the people that 
came out were circumcised ; 
but all the people that were born 
in the wilderness by the w T ay 
as they came forth out of Egypt, 
them they had not circumcised. 

6 For the children of Israel 
walked f forty years in the wil- 
derness, till all the people that 
were men of war which came 
out of Egypt were consumed, 
because they obeyed not the 
voice of the Lord : unto whom 
the Lord sware that she would 



f Num. 14 33 
B Num. 14. 23. 



Dent. 1. 3. & 2. 7, 14. Ps. 95. 10. 
Ps. 95. 11. Heb. 3. 11. 



divine ordinance in common cir- 
cumstances. 

6. Walked forty years. Led for 
that time a wandering, unsettled life. 
IT Would not show them. Heb. ' cause 
to see,' i. e. would not permit them to 
enjoy. Thus Eccles, 2. 24, ' There 
is nothing better for a man, than that 
he should eat and drink, and that he 
should make his soul enjoy (Heb. 
cause his soul to see,) good in his la- 
bor.' Ps. 4. 6, ' Who will show us 
any good' 1 (Heb. who will cause us 
to see, i. e. to enjoy, to have the fru- 
ition of.) 

7. Their children whom he raised 
up in their stead. Or, Heb. ' caused 
to stand, made to survive, preserved.' 
The writer's design seems to be, to 
state a contrast in the lot of the fa- 
thers and the children, using the term 
1 raised up,' in opposition to ' con- 
sumed' in the preceding verse. The 
one he destroyed for their rebellion* 
the other he graciously preserved 
alive, established, caused to subsist. 
See note on Ex. 9. 16, where this 
sense of the term is amply confirmed, 



not show them the land which 
the Lord sware unto their fa- 
thers that he would give us, h a 
land that floweth with milk and 
honey. 

7 And « their children, whom 
he raised up in their stead, them 
Joshua circumcised : for they 
were uncircurncised, because 
they had not circumcised them 
by the way. 

8 And it came to pass when 
they had done circumcising all 
the people, that they abode in 
their places in the camp, Hill 
they were whole. 

9 And the Lord said unto 
Joshua, This day have I rolled 
away Uhe reproach of Egypt 

h Ex. 3. 8. i Nnm. 14. 31. Deut. 1. 39. k Sea 
Gen. 34. 25. 1 Gen. 34. 14. 1 Sam. 14. 6. See 
Lev. 13. 3. ch. 24. 14. Ezek. 20. 7. & 23. 3, 8. 



The words contain a fulfilment of 
the promise given in connection with 
the threatening, Num. 14. 29 — 31. 

8. Till they were whole. Till they 
were healed. Heb. ' until they lived.' 
The original is, in repeated instances, 
used to signify being restored to health. 
Thus Num. 21. 8, 'Everyone that 
is bitten, when he looketh upon it, 
shall live, 1 i.e. be recovered. 2 Kings 
8. 8, ' Shall I recover of this disease V 
Heb. ' shall I live J Is. 38. 21, ' Lay 
it for a plaister on the boil, and he 
shall recover ;' Heb, ' shall live. 1 
The particle ' till 5 does not imply 
that they abode in their tents no longer 
thanduring the time of their recovery; 
for they remained there while keep- 
ing the Passover. The same remark 
is to be made of the import of this 
word in numerous other instances. 

9. This day have I rolled away the 
reproach of Egypt. It has been much 
disputed by commentators what is 
meant by the ' reproach of Egypt.* 
We take the expression, in a very 
full sense, to mean the reproach con- 
nected with Egypt, in whatever way, 



42 



JOSHUA, 



[A. C. 1451. 



from off you : Wherefore the 
name of the place is called 
m Gilgal unto this day. 



whether actively or passively. (1) 
Actively ; inasmuch as the Israelites 
themselves, while in the wilderness, 
did virtually reproach the Most High 
in respect to the land of Egypt, griev- 
ing that they had left it, wishing 
that they had died there, charging 
him with leading them out thence 
to slay them in the desert, and pro- 
posing to appoint a leader and to re- 
turn thither. The 14th ch. of Num- 
bers details these. murmuring com- 
plaints, and shows that God was ex- 
ceedingly angry with the people on 
this account, and would have de- 
stroyed them but for the intercession 
of Moses. But now the guilt of that 
conduct was to be rolled away or 
pardoned, they were no longer on 
account of it to be kept out of pos- 
session of the promised land ; and 
not only so, they should never have 
any more the least occasion or in- 
ducement to vent such groundless re- 
proaches. By being brought into 
Canaan in so gracious and glorious 
a manner, and having every prom- 
ise fulfilled to them, all occasion of 
complaint was forever cut off. (2) 
Passively; their bondage in Egypt 
was, in a sense, a reproach and a 
disgrace to them ; it would be so ac- 
counted by other nations while it 
continued, and they would be dispar- 
aged by reason of it. It is probable 
also that the Egyptians themselves, 
seeing them wander so long in the 
wilderness, reproached and taunted 
them, as if brought there to be de- 
stroyed; but now, having entered 
Canaan in triumph, and being put in 
possession of all the covenanted bles- 
sings promised to the seed of Abra- 
ham, of which circumcision was the 
seal, this reproach was henceforth 
done away. Both the disgrace of 
their bondage and the contemptuous 
aspersions of their oppressors, should 
cease from this time forward forever. 
IT Wherefore the name of the place is 



10 IT And the children of Is- 
rael encamped in Gilgal, and 
kept the passover n on the four- 



n Ex. 12. 6. Num. 9. 5. 



called Gilgal unto this day. That 
is, ' rolling,' 'rolling away.' Gilgal 
was situated between Jericho and 
the river Jordan, about one mile and 
a half, or two miles, from the former, 
and six from the latter. Nothing of 
this city now remains ; but travelers 
are shown a pile of stones denomin- 
ated Galgala, which, though at a 
considerable distance from the site 
of the ancient Gilgal, is supposed by 
some to be the monument erected by 
Joshua. The clause ' unto this day,* 
sufficiently indicates that the events 
related in the book of Joshua, or at 
least in this part of it, were not con- 
signed to writing immediately upon 
their occurrence, but after the lapse 
of some considerable time. 

10. And kept the Passover. Heb. 
i and made the passover.' The third 
from its institution. The first was 
observed in Egypt on the eve of their 
departure, the second at Sinai on the 
following year, Num. 9. 1, w 2, while 
during the long interval down to the 
present time it had been wholly sus- 
pended. Amos, 5. 25. IT On the 
fourteenth day of the month. That 
is, the fourteenth day of the first 
month, or Nisan. — From this re- 
markable portion of the sacred nar- 
rative we may learn, (1) That in 
whatever circumstances we are pla- 
ced, religion should be our first con- 
cern. If ever there were circum- 
stances which would seem to justify 
the postponement of religious du- 
ties, one would think they were those 
of Joshua on this occasion, when he 
had but just set foot on the land where 
great and powerful nations were 
prepared to combat for their very ex- 
istence. We know how common it 
is for military and naval command- 
ers to act as if they thought they 
had a dispensation to neglect the or- 
dinances of religion, on account of 
the urgency and importance of their 
occupations. And the same idea 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER V. 



43 



teenth day of the month at even, 
in the plains of Jericho. 



prevails throughout almost all orders 
of society. Every one is ready to 
plead his temporal engagements as 
an excuse for neglecting the con- 
cerns of his soul. The statesman is 
too much engaged in politics ; the 
merchant in his business ; the phil- 
osopher in his researches ; the stu- 
dent in his books ; and the profes- 
sional man in the duties of his call- 
ing, to find time for the one thing 
needful. But if Joshua, under his 
peculiar circumstances, sought first 
to serve and honor God, who then 
can plead an exemption ] Compared 
with the divine favor is there an ob- 
ject under heaven worthy of a 
thoughts (2) That in whatever cir- 
cumstances we are placed, we should 
place the most implicit confidence in 
God. Suppose we were in the pre- 
sence of Joshua while these religious 
ceremonies were going on, we might 
be disposed to ask, ' are you not in an 
enemy's land] and have you not many 
conflicts to maintain ere you can get 
a quiet possession of it 1 yet you seem 
as much at your ease as if the whole 
land were already subdued before 
you. 5 What reply may we suppose 
Joshua would make to observations 
like these'? 'True,' he would say, 
* you behold me in a state of as much 
quietness and confidence as if I had 
not an enemy to contend with. But 
whose battles am I fighting] In 
whose service am I engaged] Is 
there any device or power that can 
succeed against God 1 In him I trust ; 
and he it is that keeps my mind in 
perfect peace.' Now in our spiritu- 
al warfare we stand upon virtually 
the same ground that Joshua did. 
We are called to it as he was ; and 
it is the way appointed for our get- 
ting possession of our destined inher- 
itance. We also have our enemies at 
hand,withwhom,in our own strength, 
it would be impossible for us to cope. 
But our God is for us, and confiding 
in him, we may bid a calm defiance 
to the most malignant powers of dark- 



11 And they did eat of the 
old corn of the land on the mor- 



ness. In our temporal trials also, en- 
countered in the way of duty, we are 
required to exercise the same cheer- 
ful trust, for he who has called us to 
them, will sustain us in them. 

11. And they did eat of the old corn 
of the land. Of the old grain of what- 
ever kind it were. This they prob- 
ably found in abundance in the de- 
serted granaries of the inhabitants 
who had fled away, and betaken them- 
selves for safety to the defenced city 
of Jericho. The original phrase 
however may be rendered simply, 
1 They did eat of the product or yield- 
ing of the earth,' in contradistinction 
from the manna which came from 
heaven. It And parched corn. That 
is, the new corn of the present year, 
which they found standing in the 
fields. The new or green corn was 
parched to enable them more easily 
to grind it for food. This would not 
be necessary in respect to old corn. 
IT On the morrow after the Passover. 
Meaning, probably, on the sixteenth 
day of the month ; for the paschal 
lamb was killed and roasted on the 
fourteenth, and the feast began that 
night,which, according to their reck- 
oning, formed a part of the fifteenth 
day, through the whole of which the 
feast continued, so that the sixteenth 
day was the morrow after the Pass- 
over, when they were required by the 
Law (Lev. 23. 10, 11.) to offer to God 
the wave-sheaf of the first fruits, and 
then were allowed to eat the rest. 
IT In the self-same day. Perhaps im- 
porting the very great eagerness of 
the people to feast upon the fruits of 
the land as soon as they might law- 
fully do it. Having previously re- 
newed their covenant with God and 
partaken of its seals, circumcision 
and the passover, they wished at once 
to enter upon the enjoyment of all 
the rights and privileges thereby con- 
firmed to them. 

12. And the manna ceased on the 
morrow. Because it was now no 
longer necessary. God would not 



44 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



row after the passover, unleav- 
ened cakes and parched corn in 
the self. same day. 

12 11 And °the manna ceased 
on the morrow after they had 
eaten of the old corn of the land ; 
neither had the children of Is- 
rael manna any more ; but they 

o Ex. 16. 35. 



have us expect extraordinary or mi- 
raculous supplies when they may be 
procured by ordinary means. The 
sudden cessation of the manna would 
teach the people also very impres- 
sively that it was not an ordinary 
production of nature, that it had not 
fallen for so long a time by chance, 
or, like the dew, in consequence of 
fixed laws, but that it was a special 
and preternatural gift of the divine 
goodness. We are prone to look 
upon our common mercies as mat- 
ters of course, and God sometimes 
withdraws them to teach us our de- 
pendence more effectually. — ' The 
word and ordinances of God are spir- 
itual manna, with which God nour- 
ishes his people in this wilderness, 
but when we come to the heavenly 
Canaan, this manna will cease, for 
we shall then no longer have need 
of it.' Henry. 

13. When Joshua was by Jericho. 
Heb. ' in Jericho;' i. e. in the plains 
of Jericho, in the country or terri- 
tory immediately adjoining Jericho, 
and called by the same name, prob- 
ably at some distance from the camp, 
whither he may have repaired for 
the purpose of observing in person 
the position of the city and the most 
favorable point of attack. The 
sixth chapter ought certainly to have 
commenced here, as the subject now 
entered upon is entirely new, and 
the present arrangement most unnat- 
urally divides the communication 
which Joshua had with the angel, 
and which is continued to ch. 6. 5. 
IT There stood a man. One in the 
appearance of a man, one whom 
Joshua at first took for a man. That 



did eat of the fruit of the land of 
Canaan that year. 

13 IT And it came to pass 
when Joshua was by Jericho, 
that he lifted up his eyes and 
looked, and behold, there stood 
pa man over against him ^with 
his sword drawn in his hand : 

p Gen. 18. 2. & 32. 24. Ex. 23. 23. Zech. 1. 8. 
Acts. 1. 10. q Num. 88. 23. 



he was a super-human being, how- 
ever, is evident from what follows ; 
and there seems no good reason to 
dissent from the established opinion 
of both ancient and modern exposi- 
tors that this was no other than the 
Son of God, the Eternal Word, ap- 
pearing in that form which he was 
afterwards to assume for the redemp- 
tion of men. The reasons for this 
opinion are, (1) The title which he 
here gives himself, ' Captain of the 
host of the Lord,' which is but ano- 
ther form of the name ' Lord of hosts,' 
implying the ruler of all the hea- 
venly hosts, and which is evidently 
the appropriate title of Jehovah- Je- 
sus. (2) His acceptance of the wor- 
ship or adoration which Joshua here 
pays him. This an angel or any 
created being would' undoubtedly 
have refused. Comp. Rev. 19. 10. 
22. 9. Judg. 13. 16. Here, however, 
instead of reproving Joshua for do- 
ing him too much honor, he com- 
mands him to do still more, by ' loos- 
ing his shoes from offhis feet;' thus 
insisting upon the highest acknowl- 
edgement of the divine presence 
which was in use among the eastern 
nations. (3) From the place being 
made holy by his presence, which 
was the special prerogative of God, 
Ex. 3. 5 ; and (4) From his being ex- 
pressly called 'Jehovah,' ch. 6. 2, 
which passage undoubtedly forms 
a part of the present narrative^ 
as otherwise he must have appear- 
ed without any ostensible object, 
neither delivering any message, 
making any promise, nor uttering 
any command, except merely that 
Joshua should loose nis shoes from 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER V. 



and Joshua went unto him, and 
said unto him, Art thou for us, 
or for our adversaries ? 

14 And he said, Nay; but 
as captain of the host of the 
Lord am I now come. And 
Joshua r fell on his face to the 
earth, and did worship, and said 



his feet. IT Over against him. As if 
with a hostile intent, in somewhat of 
a threatening attitude. The same 
phrase in the original occurs Dan. 
10. 13, 'The prince of the kingdom of 
Persia withstood me ( Heb. 'stood over 
against me.)' IT With his drawn sword 
in his hand. As a symbol of the char- 
acter in which he was now to mani- 
fest himself in behalf of Joshua and 
Israel. So he is elsewhere termed, 
* A man of war,' Ex. 15. 3. His ap- 
pearing in this form would serve also 
not only to justify the war in which 
Joshua was now engaged, to show 
him that it was of God, who had given 
him his commission to kill and slay, 
but to encourage him to prosecute it 
with vigor. If God was for him, 
who could be against him 1 He had 
indeed previously received many 
promises of success, but God is often 
graciously pleased to confirm and 
follow up his promises, by signal 
manifestations of his presence and 
favor: ■ Thou meetest him that re- 
joiceth and worketh righteousness, 
those that remember thee in thy 
ways.' IT And Joshua went unto 
him. Displaying herein a remark- 
able courage and intrepidity. In- 
stead of turning away from the for- 
midable personage before him, and 
seeking hastily to regain the camp, 
he walks boldly up, and demands of 
him whether he be a friend or a foe. 
This undaunted bearing was the fruit 
of his strong confidence in God. No 
face of clay will intimidate him who 
looks upon God as his friend and 
protector, and who is found in the 
way of duty. It is the disobedient, 
the obstinate, the rebellious spirit, in 



unto him, What saith my lord 
unto his servant ? 

15 And the captain of the 
Lord's host said unto Joshua, 
■Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, 
for the place whereon thou 
standest is holy : and Joshua 
did so. 

s Ex. 3. 5. Acts 7. 33. 



which cowardice dwells. The good 
man is ever the true hero. 

14. And he said, Nay, but as cap- 
tain of the host of the Lord am I now 
come. ' I am neither Israelite nor 
Canaanite, neither friend nor foe in 
your sense of the words, for I am not 
a mortal man, but as prince and 
leader of the Lord's host, of the an- 
gels in heaven, and even of that very 
power of which you are commander, 
have I now come, to instruct and aid 
thee in the great undertaking in 
which thou art engaged.' He prob- 
ably at the same moment put forth 
some visible demonstration of his 
true character, which at once satis- 
fied Joshua, and filled him with an 
overwhelming sense of his majesty 
and glory, so that he instinctively 
fell on his face to the earth, and of- 
fered him those, tokens of worship 
which a mortal is bound to pay to 
his Creator. IT What saith my 
Lord unto his servant? With the 
profoundest reverence I acknowl- 
edge thee as my Lord and leader, 
I subject myself to thy sovereign will, 
and humbly wait for the orders it 
may seem good to thee to issue. 

15. Loose thy shoe from off thy foot. 
This was a token of respect and' rev- 
erence usual in the east, and equiv- 
alent to uncovering the head with 
us. (See Illustrations of the Scrip- 
tures, p. 129.) These are the same 
words which the angel of the burn- 
ing bush spake to Moses, Ex. 3. 5, 
from wh ich . an d other circumstances, 
it is probable that it was the same 
person who appeared in both places. 
That great and glorious Being, who 
knows fully his own infinite per|ec* 



46 



N 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



CHAPTER VI. 

OW Jericho was straitly 
shut up, because of the 



tions, which we are very inadequate 
to comprehend, knows what external 
manifestations of respect they justly 
claim of his creatures. ' Outward 
expressions of inward reverence, and 
a religious awe of God, well become 
us, and are required of us, whenever 
we approach to him in solemn ordi- 
nances.' Henry. IT The place where- 
on thou standest is holy. Heb. ' is 
holiness.' It was for the time made 
holy, or consecrated by the divine 
presence. As soon as that was with- 
drawn, its peculiar sacredness also 
forsook it, and it was no more holy 
than any other place. Yet with the 
pious heart there will naturally be, 
from the laws of association, a feel- 
ing of reverence for any place where 
God has been pleased to vouchsafe 
the special manifestations of himself. 
Such a sentiment, however, should 
be guarded from degenerating into 
superstition. 

CHAPTER VI. 

We fully assent to the remark of 
Dr. Adam Clarke, that there is 
scarcely a more unfortunate division 
of chapters in the whole Bible than 
here. According to the present ar- 
rangement, the reader is greatly at a 
loss to know what is intended by this 
extraordinary appearance of the Son 
of God, as it would seem that the 
whole account of his visit is closed 
with the foregoing chapter, where- 
as in fact it is continued in the pre- 
sent. The first verse of ch. 6, is a 
mere parenthesis, relating the state 
of Jericho at the time that Joshua 
was favored by this encouraging vis- 
ion. The thread of the narrative re- 
specting this divine personage, com- 
menced in the preceding chapter, is 
then resumed, and continued to v. 5. 

1. Now Jericho was straitly shut 
up. Strictly, closely shut up. Heb. 
'did shut up and was shut up,' or 
e closing and was closed.' The ori- 
ginal expression is peculiar and em- 



child ren of Israel: none weut 
out, and none came in. 

2 And the Lord said unto 

phatic, and was doubtless designed 
to imply the extreme care and vigi- 
lance with which the gates had been 
closed and were watched, not only 
by night, as when the spies came, 
ch. 2. 5, but also by day. Accord- 
ingly the Chal. renders it, c And Jer- 
icho was shut up with iron doors and 
fortified with brazen bolts, so that 
none came out either to combat or to 
make offers of peace.' The lan- 
guage also intimates, that the city 
was not only effectually shut up and 
made secure from within, but was 
also so closely blockaded by the Is- 
raelites from without, that there was 
no going out or coming in even to 
its own citizens. IT Because of the 
children of Israel. Heb. 'before the 
children of Israel.' ' Methinks I see 
how they called their council of war, 
debated of all means of defence, gath- 
ered their forces, trained their sol- 
diers, set strong guards to the gates 
and walls ; and now would persuade 
one another that unless Israel could 
fly into their city, the siege was vain. 
(So) vain worldlings think their 
ramparts and barricadoes can keep 
out the vengeance of God; their 
blindness suffers them to look no far- 
ther than the means ; the supreme 
hand of the Almighty comes not 
within the compass of their fears. 
Every carnal heart is a Jericho shut 
up ; God sets down before it, and dis- 
plays mercy and judgment in sight 
of the walls thereof: it hardens itself 
in a wilful security, and saith, " Aha, 
I shall never be moved." Bp. Hall. 
2. And the Lord said unto Joshua. 
That is, after Joshua had loosed his 
shoes from off his feet, as command- 
ed above, ch. 5. 15. He who was be- 
fore called the ' Captain of the Lord's 
host,' is here called ' Lord ' or ' Jeho- 
vah,' thus clearly proving that it was 
a divine personage; for who else 
could promise and perform what fol- 
lows 1 IT / have given into thy 
hand Jericho. Not only I will do it, 



A. C> 1451.] 



CHAPTER VL 



47 



Joshua, See, R I have given into 
thy hand Jericho, and the b king 
thereof, and the mighty men of 
valor. 

3 And ye shall compass the 
city, all ye men of war, and go 

a Cli 2. 9. 24 & 8. 1 b Deut. 7. 2-1. 



but I have done it ; it is all thine 
own, as surely as if it were even now 
in thy possession. IT And the mighty 
men of valor. The copulative ' and ' 
does hot occur here in the Hebrew. 
The proper rendering is, ' I have 
given into thy hand Jericho and the 
king thereof, (who are, or, although 
they are) mighty men of valor,' i. e. 
experienced and powerful warriors, 
men with whom, if you were to con- 
tend on ordinary terms, you would 
be unable to cope, but whom, through 
my assistance, you shall utterly over- 
throw. A city, in Scripture style, is 
often taken, not for a collection of 
houses and walls, but for the inhabit- 
ants, an assemblage of people dwell- 
ing together in a corporate capacity. 
The same distinction holds between 
the Latin urbs and civitas. By Jeri- 
cho and its king, is here meant the 
inhabitants and their king, and they 
are spoken of collectively as ' mighty 
men of valor.' 

3. And go round about the city once. 
Heb. ' by going round about the city 
once/ IT Thus shalt thou do six 
days. The address is here made to 
Joshua in the singular number, as 
the commander and representative 
of the people. In the preceding 
clause the plural is used. Such 
changes of person are frequent, and 
always worthy of attention, as show- 
ing the constructive unitv of people 
and their leaders. — It seemed good to 
infinite wisdom to appoint this 
method of besieging the city, (1) To 
magnify his power, to show in a con- 
vincing manner, both to the Canaan- 
ites and to Israel, that Omnipotence 
alone had achieved the work, that 
he was infinitely above the need of 
the ordinary means of obtaining a 
victory, and to render those of his en- 



rourd about the city once: thus 
shalt thou do six days. 

4 And seven priests shall bear 
before the ark seven c trumpets 
of rams' horns : and the seventh 
day ye shall compass the city 

c See Judg. 7. 16, 22, 



emies entirely inexcusable who 
should presume to withstand his re- 
sistless arm. (2) To try the faith and 
obedience of Joshua and his people, 
by prescribing a course of conduct 
that seemed to human wisdom the 
height of folly and absurdity, and 
also to secure a profound respect to 
all his subsequent institutions, how- 
ever simple or contemptible they 
might seem to the eye of carnal rea- 
son. (3) To put honor upon the ark 
as the appointed token of his pre- 
sence, and to confirm still more fully 
that veneration and awe, with which 
they had always been taught to re- 
gard it. 

4. Seven trumpets of rams' horns. 
Heb. D^bm* 1 rrnCTi: trumpets of the 
jubilee, i. e. such trumpets as used 
to be blown in the year of jubilee, 
implying, perhaps, that the entrance 
of Israel into Canaan was a kind of 
jubilee to them, an occasion that 
called rather for the sound of the 
trumpet of joy, than the dreadful 
notes of the trumpet of war. No 
other scriptural instance is adduced, 
in which the word J^-p Jobel is 
translated ram, though it be true that 
the Chaldee paraphrase favors that 
rendering. But its single authority 
on the point is not conclusive. The 
like phrase in v. 5, is, in the original 
im^ yip horn of jubilee, and proves 
only that horns were used, without 
restricting the meaning to rams' 
horns. Still the sense of rams' horns, 
as a traditionary sense, seems for 
ages to have connected itself with 
the phrase, grounded, we presume, on 
the fact, that the trumpets in question 
were made in the shape of the horns 
of this animal, and the appellation 
'horn of jubilee' may be used figu- 
ratively for trumpet of jubilee, just 



48 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



seven times, and d the priests 
shall blow with the trumpets. 

5 And it shall come to pass, 
that when they make a long 
blast with the ram's horn, and 
when ye hear the sound of the 
trumpet, all the people shall 
shout with a great shout : and 
the wall of the city shall fall 
down flat, and the people shall 
ascend up every man straight 
before him. 

6 H And Joshua the son of 



W Num. 10. 8. 



as with us a well known musical in- 
strument of brass is called ' a horn ' 
from its form, and another called ' a 
serpent ' for the same reason. IT The 
seventh day ye shall compass the city 
seven times. The time was thus 
lengthened out, both to afford a con- 
tinued exercise of the faith and pa- 
tience of the people, and that the be- 
sieged and besiegers might be the 
more deeply impressed with that 
supernatural power by which the 
result was to be accomplished. Men 
are usually prone to precipitate 
measures. God moves deliberate- 
ly, and he would have his people 
wait his time. ' He that believeth 
shall not make haste.' ' It is the 
pleasure of God to hold us both in 
work and in expectation, and though 
he require our continual endeavors 
for the subduing of our corruptions, 
during the six days of our life, yet 
we shall never find it perfectly effec- 
ted till the very evening of our last 
day.' Bp. Hall. The repeated men- 
tion of the number seven in this con- 
nection is worthy of notice. It has 
been suggested that it might have a 
latent reference to the creation of 
the world in six days, and God's 
resting on the seventh, which com- 
pleted the first week, and, in the pre- 
sent case, that it may convey an allu- 
sion to the preaching of the gospel 
for a limited period of time, at the 
close of which, perhaps, early in the 
seventh thousand years, all Satan's 



Nun called the priests, and said 
unto them, Take up the ark of 
the covenant, and let seven 
priests bear seven trumpets of 
rams' horns before the ark of the 
Lord. 

7 And he said unto the peo- 
ple, Pass on, and compass the 
city, and let him that is armed 
pass on before the ark of the 
Lokd. 

8 IT And it came to pass, 
when Joshua had spoken unto 

remaining bulwarks shall fall to the 
ground, and the kingdoms of this 
world become the kingdoms of the 
Lord and of his Christ. 

5. The wall of the city shall fall 
down flat. Not absolutely all the 
wall in the whole extent of its com- 
pass, since that would have involved 
the house of Rahab in the destruc- 
tion, which, it is plain, was not in- 
tended, nor did it happen, v. 22. As 
the city was completely surrounded 
by the Israelites, the falling of the 
walls would give the inhabitants no 
opportunity of escape. They could 
not break through the array of armed 
men that hemmed them in. The 
original for ' fall down flat' is ' fall 
down under itself,' or ' in its place/ 
which appears to mean simply, that 
the wall should fall down to its very 
foundations. IT Ascend up every 

man straight before him. The ob- 
struction of the wall being removed, 
nothing stood in the way of the peo- 
ple's advancing in a direct line, as if 
from the circumference to the centre 
of a circle, and meeting in the heart 
of the city. This is called ' going 
up' or ' ascending,' from the necessity 
there was of climbing over the ruins 
of the walls on their way. Besides 
which it is common, in nearly all lan- 
guages, to describe the approach to a 
city as a ( going up' to it. After giv- 
ing these directions, the Angel-Jeho- 
vah no doubt departed. 

8 Passed on before the Lord, That 



A, C. 1451.) 



CHAPTER VI. 



49 



the people, that the seven priests 
bearing the seven trumpets of 
rams' horns passed on before 
the Lord, and blew with the 
trumpets : and the ark of the 
covenant of the Lord followed 
them. 

9 IT And the armed men went 
before the priests that blew with 
the trumpets, e and the rere-ward 
came after the ark, the priests 



e Num. IB. 25. 



is, as we suppose, before the ark of 
the Lord, v. 4 and ch. 3. 11. IT The 
ark of the covenant. The ark in 
which were deposited the two ta- 
bles whereon the covenant was writ- 
ten. 

9. And the armed men. Heb, ' the 
armed man,' i. e. each armed man 
collect sing, for plur. IF The 
rereward. The hinder part. The or- 
iginal DD^>2 wiassaph, comes from 
CpB asaph, to collect , to gather up, 
and is equivalent to our militar) r 
phrase bringing up the rear, and 
not improperly rendered in the mar- 
gin, ' gathering host.' It implies a 
kind and protecting care towards 
those who are its objects. The same 
phraseology occurs, Is. 52. 12, ' The 
Lord will go before you, and the 
God of Israel will be your rereivard, 
(Heb. your gatherer.)' Ps. 27. 10. 
' When my father and my mother 
forsake me, then the the Lord will 
take me up. (Heb. will gather me.)' 
A rereward therefore is that portion 
of an army which, moving behind 
the main body, gathers up all the 
stragglers, takes care of any that 
may faint and fall by the way, sees 
that neither cattle nor baggage are 
missing, and protects or covers the 
rear of the host from the assault of 
enemies. The Jews think the di- 
vision of Dan is meant, which al- 
ways brought up the rear. Num. 10. 

10. Nor make any noise with your 
voice. Heb. ' nor cause your voice to 
be heard.' They were not only re- 
quired to abstain from shouting, but 

5* 



going on, and blowing with the 
trumpets. 

10 And Joshua had com- 
manded the people, saying, Ye 
shall not shout, nor make any 
noise with your voice, neither 
shall any word proceed out of 
your mouth, until the day I bid 
you shout, then shall ye shout. 
11 So the ark of the Lord 
compassed the city, going about 



to observe a profound silence in eve- 
ry respect. This would be expressive 
of a reverent awe in anticipation of 
the event; and would preclude all 
danger of mistake as to the precise 
time when they were required to 
shout. If noise of any kind had been 
allowed, they might have taken it for 
the signal of a general acclamation. 
This would not only have been in- 
effectual before the appointed time, 
but would have rendered them the 
derision of their enemies. 

11. So the ark of the Lord compass- 
ed the city. Or, 'so he caused the 
ark of the Lord to compass the city.' 
The original will admit of either ren- 
dering. The procession undoubtedly 
moved at a sufficient distance to be out 
of the reach of the enemy's arrows 
and out of the hearing of their scoffs. 
They must have looked with a very 
contemptuous eye upon such an un- 
■ warlike mode of assault, and when 
day after day passed and no effect fol- 
lowed, would naturally become hard- 
ened in security, and think the whole 
the mere mockery of a siege, a sense- 
less and childish parade. Thus they 
would cry ' peace and safety,' while 
sudden destruction was coming upon 
them. ' There was never so strange a 
siege as this of Jericho: here was no 
mount raised, no sword drawn, no 
engine planted, no pioneers under- 
mining; here were trumpets sound- 
ed, but no enemy seen ; here were 
armed men, but no stroke given; 
they must walk, and not fight ; sev- 
en several days must they pace about 



60 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



it once : and they came into 
the camp, and lodged in the 
camp. 

12 1T And Joshua rose early 
in the morning, f and the priests 
took up the ark of the Lord. 

13 And seven priests bearing 
seven trumpets of rams' horns 
before the ark of the Lord went 
on continually, and blew with 
the trumpets : and the armed 
men went before them ; but the 
re re -ward came after the ark 
of the Lord, the priests going 
on, and blowing with the trum- 
pets. 

14 And the second day they 



f Deut. 31. 25. 



the walls, which they may not once 
look over to see what was within. 
Doubtless these inhabitants of Jeri- 
cho made themselves merry with 
this sight. When they had stood 
six days on their walls, and beheld 
nothing but a walking enemy, 
1 What,' say they, ' could Israel find 
no walk to breathe them with, but 
about our walls % Have they not 
traveled enough in their forty years' 
pilgrimage, but they must stretch 
their limbs in this circle 1 We see 
they are good footmen, but when 
shall we try their hands 1 Do these 
vain men think Jericho will be won 
by looking atl Or do they only 
come to count how many paces it is 
about our city 1 If this be their man- 
ner of siege, we shall have no great 
cause to fear the sword of Israel. 
Wicked men think God in jest when 
he is preparing for their judgment.' 
Bp. Hall. 

15. The seventh day — they rose ear- 
ly. Because on this day they had to 
encompass the city seven times; a 
proof that the city could not have 
been very large, and also that the 
whole Israelitish host could not have 
been employed in going round it ; 
for as the fighting men alone 
amounted to 600,000, independent- 



compassed the city once, and 
returned into the camp. So 
they did six days. 

15 And it came to pass on the 
seventh day, that they rose early 
about the dawning of the day, 
and compassed the city after the 
same manner seven times: only 
on that, day they compassed the 
city seven times. 

16 And it came to pass at the 
seventh time, when the priests 
blew with the trumpets, Joshua 
said unto the people, Shout ; 
for the Lord hath given you 
the city. 

17 if And the city shall be ac- 



ly of the mass of the people, who 
made a total of at least two millions 
more, the thing is utterly inconceiv- 
able. A select number, sufficient 
for the occasion, was doubtless all 
that were employed. It is evident 
that in the course of these seven days 
there must have been a sabbath. This 
the Jewish writers say was the last, 
the day on which the city was taken j 
but this is not certain. It is not ma- 
terial, however, which day it was. 
That God, who commanded the sab- 
bath to be set apart for rest and reli- 
gious purposes, has a right to sus- 
pend or alter the usual modes of its 
observance when he sees fit, and 
his command is sufficient to make 
any action lawful at any time. 

16. Shout, for the Lord hath given 
you the city. As before it does not 
appear that the people were inform- 
ed how they were to cross the Jor- 
dan till they came to the river's brink, 
so on this occasion Joshua seems to 
have forborne telling them how they 
were to become masters of the city, 
till they had compassed it six times. 
Their implicit obedience in this, as 
in the former instance, strikingly 
evinced their faith, which is com- 
mended by the apostle, Heb. 11. 30. 
1 By faith the walls of Jericho fell 



A. C. 1451] 



CHAPTER VI. 



51 



cursed, even it, and all that are 
therein, to the Lord : only 
Rahab the harlot shall live, 
she and all that are with her in 
the house, because sshe hid the 
messengers that we sent. 

18 And ye, b in any wise 
keep yourselves from the accur- 
sed thing, lest ye make yourselves 



g Uh. 2. 4. 
12. 



i 13. 17. ch. 7. 1, 11, 



down after they were compassed 
about seven days.' 

17. And the city shall be accursed. 
Heb. ' shall be a curse, an anathema ; : 
i. e. devoted to utter destruction ; no 
spoils were to be taken, no lives to 
be spared, except those of Rahab 
and her family. All was to be, if 
we may so say, consecrated to a curse. 
For an account of the cherem or 
anathema, see on Lev. 27. 21,28, 29. 
It is plain from 1 Kings, 16. 34, that 
Joshua spake this by divine direc- 
tion ; and though to human view it 
may carry the aspect of undue se- 
verity, } r et considered as the enact- 
ment of Him whose judgments are 
righteous altogether, we cannot 
question its perfect equity. Jericho 
belonged to a nation which had filled 
up the measure of its iniquities, and 
its guilt was peculiarly enhanced 
by reason of the amazing display of 
divine power which it had recent- 
ly witnessed and against which it 
had hardened itself. It was just, 
therefore, that the vengeance taken 
should be in proportion to the light 
resisted. The severe judgment upon 
Jericho, moreover, would tend to 
strike terror into the hearts of the 
rest of the devoted nations, and make 
them an easier conquest. IT Only 
Rahab shall live, &c. The Most 
High never forgets his people. 
When he maketh inquisition for 
blood, he remembereth them, who- 
ever else may be overlooked. IT 
BecoMse she hid. The original has 
an extraordinary and emphatic form, 
implying that she carefully and dil- 
igently hid them. 



accursed, when ye take of the 
accursed thing, and make the 
camp of Israel a curse, *and 
trouble it. 

19 But all the silver, and gold, 
and vessels of brass and iron, 
are consecrated unto the Lord : 
they shall come into the trea- 
sury of the Lord. 

i Ch. 7 25. 1 Kings 18. 17, 18. Jonah 1. 12. 



18. In any wise keep yourselves. 
That is, by all means, most carefully, 
studiously, vigilantly. This city 
was, as it were, the first fruits of Ca- 
naan, and as such wholly devoted to 
the Lord. The spoil of other cities, 
subsequently taken, was allowed to 
be divided among the captors, but 
this was to be an exception to the 
general rule. IT And make the 
camp of Israel a curse. Heb. ' put, or 
place the camp a curse.' The Heb. 
word for c put ' has often the signifi- 
cation of ' make, constitute, render.' 
The meaning is, that they would 
thereby render themselves obnoxious 
to the curse denounced upon the city. 
IT And trouble it. Bring distress up- 
on it by provoking the divine dis- 
pleasure, and interrupting the pros- 
perous course of your victories. 
Heb. fc ft^D? achartem, from ^39 
achar, to trouble. See note on Gen. 
34. 30, 31. This is spoken as if in 
foresight of the sin of Achan, to 
whom Joshua afterwards said, ch. 7. 
25, 'Why hast thou troubled us 1 
The Lord shall trouble thee this day.' 
From hence he is called Achar, trou- 
ble. 1 Chron. 2. 7. 

19. All the silver and gold. Ex- 
cept those portions of these metals 
which were formed into idols or their 
appendages, in respect to which the 
law was express, Deut. 7. 25, ' The 
graven images of their gods shall ye 
burn with fire : thou shalt not desire 
the silver or gold that is on them, 
nor take it unto thee, lest thou be 
snared therein : for it is an abomi- 
nation to the Lord thy God.' Comp. 
1 Chron. 14. 12. H Consecrated 



%% 



JOSHUA. 



[A, C. 1451' 



20 So 1 the people shouted 
when the priests blew with the 
trumpets : and it came to pass, 
when the people heard the sound 
of the trumpet, and the people 
shouted with a great shout, that 

unto the Lord. Heb. ' holiness to the 
Lord,' i. e. dedicated exclusively to 
him ; being first legally purified by 
passing through the fire, according 
to the ordinance, Num. 32. 21—23, 
IT Shall come into the treasury of the 
Lord. To be employed wholly for 
the service of the sanctuary,' and 
not to be appropriated in any man- 
ner to the use of any private person 
or priest. The place of deposit was 
the tabernacle of the congregation, 
where the spoils of the Midianites 
were laid up. Num. 31. 54. 

20. So the people shouted, &c. More 
literally rendered from the Heb., ' So 
the people shouted and blew with the 
trumpets (i. e. the priests blew in the 
name of the people,) and it came to 
pass w^hen the people heard the sound 
of the trumpets, that the people 
shouted with a great shout, and the 
wall fell down fiat, and. the people 
went up/ &c. The latter clause is 
merely a more detailed and exact ac- 
count of what is contained in the 
first. Probably great numbers were 
killed by the falling of the wall. 
We are not warranted, perhaps, to 
speak of this event as typical. Never- 
theless it was doubtless intended to 
convey most important instruction 
to all succeeding ages. It was pecu- 
liarly calculated to show how easily 
God can make a way for the accom- 
plishment of his own purposes, and 
for the salvation of his people. If it 
did not typify, it certainly well illus- 
trates, the victories which the gospel 
was to obtain over all the principal- 
ities and powers of earth and hell. 
No human force was to be used. 
Nothing but the simple announce- 
ment of the truth, and that by the in- 
strumentality of weak and sinful 
men — men unlearned, unskilled in 
logic, and unfurnished with elo- 



k the wall fell down flat, so that 
the people went up into the city, 
every man straight before him, 
and they took the city. 

21 And they i utterly de- 
stroyed all that was in the city, 



k Ver. 5. Heb, 11, 30 



quence — was the means chosen for 
the destruction of idolatry, and the 
establishment of the Redeemer's king- 
dom over the earth. Yet how might- 
ily has the bare sound of the gospel 
trumpet prevailed for the overthrow 
of Satan's empire in the world !' 

21. And they utterly destroyed. 
Heb. ' made a curse,, devoted to de- 
struction.' H Both mom and wo^ 
man, young and old, &c. In all this 
the Israelites acted strictly according 
to their orders, Deut. 20. 16, 17, so 
that whatever charge of cruelty or 
barbarity may be brought against 
them in view of their conduct on this 
occasion, it strikes directly at the 
rectitude of the divine judgments. 
That the Canaanites were a nation 
of incorrigible idolaters, whose mor- 
als, from the most remote periods, 
w r ere polluted to the utmost degree, ' 
we have the highest authority for as- 
serting. Had Jehovah, after bearing 
with such a people for no less than 
four centuries, sent upon them at 
last a famine or a pestilence, and cut 
them off from the face of the earth, 
who could deny that he had acted 
with perfect justice % Had he again 
caused fire to fall upon them from 
heaven, or overwhelmed them by 
the waters of a flood, the same ad- 
mission must have been made. Why 
then should it be urged that he acted 
in opposition to any one of his known 
attributes, because he let loose ano- 
ther cf his judgments upon them, 
namely war 7 For such, as far as 
they were affected, was really the 
case. The Israelites were towards 
them neither more nor less than in- 
struments of punishment in the hands 
of the great Ruler of the universe, 
who chose to slay them by the edge 
of the sword, rather than by earth- 
quakes, famine, or plague. Towards 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



53 



both man and woman, young 
and old, and ox, and sheep, and 
ass, with the edge of the sword. 

22 But Joshua had said unto 
the two men that had spied out 
the country, Go into the harlot's 
house, and bring out thence the 
woman, and all that she hath, 
m as ye sware unto her. 

23 And the young men that 
were spies went in, and brought 
out Rahab. n and her father, and 
her mother, and her brethren, 
and ail that she had ; and they 



m Ch. 2. 14. Heb. II- 31. 



the Canaanites themselves, we must 
admit that there was great severity 
in the order for their extermination. 
But there was goodness in it, yea 
great goodness, towards the world 
at large ; for it has shown the dan- 
ger of unbelief and impenitence in 
such awful colors, that the proudest 
and most obdurate must tremble. If 
it be urged that to subject women and 
unoffending children to the horrors 
of war, is inconsistent with our ideas 
of divine justice, we reply, that the 
very same observation mightbemade 
in the case of a plague or a deluge. 
In all public calamities infants are 
involved, and tens of thousands die 
in great agony every year. If God is 
the agent in these calamities, they 
must consist with the most perfect 
justice and goodness, and on the same 
ground is the present order, fearful 
as it was, to be vindicated. 

22. Go into the harlot's house. 
Which had been miraculously pre- 
served in the general overthrow. 

23. The young men. These per- 
sons have all along hitherto been 
called simply 'men,' and no inti- 
mation given of their having been 
young. For an explanation of the 
Scriptural import of the phrase 
'young men,' see on Gen. 14. 24. 
% All her hind red. Heb. 'all her fami- 
lies.' IT And left them v'ithout the camp. 
Heb, ' made them to stay or abide/ 



brought out all her kindred, and 
left them without the camp of 
Israel. 

24 And they burnt the city 
with fire, and all that was there- 
in : °only the silver, and the 
gold, and the vessels of brass 
and of iron, they put into the 
treasury of the house of tbe 
Lord. 

25 And Joshua saved Rahab 
the harlot alive, and her father's 
household, and all that she had ; 
and Pshe dwelleth in Israel even 

o t, 19. p See Matl. i. 5. 

Till they were cleansed from the im- 
purities of their gentile superstition, 
and prepared, by suitable instruction, 
for admission as proselytes into the 
Israelitish church. 

25. Saved alive. Heb. 'vivified, 
made to live.' The usage of the ori- 
ginal is peculiar. It seems to imply 
that Rahab and her kindred were as 
good as dead, that they had virtually 
perished in the general destruction, 
but by being preserved through it, 
had had, as it were, their lives restor- 
ed to them. See the note on Pha- 
raoh's being preserved, Ex. 9. 14— 16 v . 
If Dwelleth in Israel even unto this 
day. Heb. ' in the midst of Israel,' 
i. e. as a communicant and partaker 
of all the distinguishing privileges 
of the chosen seed. She afterwards 
married Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 
a prince of the tribe of Judah, and 
thus became one of the ancestors of 
David and of Christ. Matt. 1. 5, 
If Unto this day. A strong proof 
that the book was written in or near 
the time to which it refers, and in 
all probability by Joshua himself, 
IT Because she hid the messengers. 
This is repeated, as if the spirit of 
inspiration delighted to dwell on the 
act which redounded so signally to 
her credit and to her salvation. God 
takes pleasure in reciting the good 
deeds of his people. From the vari- 
ous particulars recorded in the sa* 



64 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451, 



unto this day ; because she hid 
the messengers which Joshua 
.cent to spy out Jericho. 

26 IF And Joshua adjured 



cred narrative respecting Rahab, 
we may learn, (1) That there is no 
person so vile but that he may become 
an eminent saint. Would that all 
abandoned women in the world 
might hear of the mercy shown to- 
wards this harlot of Jericho ! Des- 
pised and outcast as they are by 
their fellow-creatures, would that 
they knew what compassion for them 
exists in the bosom of God ! They 
usually persist in their wickedness, 
through an utter despair of obtaining 
the mercy and grace which they need. 
But here they might see that there 
was hope for the vilest of the vile. 
(2) Faith, if genuine, will uniformly 
produce good works. (3) Whatever 
we do for God or for his people, be- 
cause they are his people, shall most 
•assui^edly be richly rewarded. 
* 26. Joshua adjured them. Made 
them to swear, caused them to bind 
themselves by a solemn oath, con- 
firmed by an imprecation upon them- 
selves and their posterity, if they 
broke it, that they would never re- 
build the city. This he did, not on his 
own responsibility, but by a divine im- 
pulse, 1 Kings 16. 34. From the re- 
markable manner in which Jericho 
was taken and destroyed, it appears 
to have been the design of God to 
preserve such a memorial of the 
event, as would teach to the latest 
posterity, his detestation of idolatry 
and the vices that grow out of it. 
Accordingly Joshua here adjures 
the people by a solemn oath, and 
"binds it upon them and their poster- 
ity, to leave the ruins of the city as 
a perpetual warning to after ages 
against the commission of those 
crimes. It would thus serve also as 
a precaution to Israel to abstain from 
worshiping the idol deities of the sur- 
rounding nations, IF Cursed be 
the man before the Lord.. That is, 
rfrQm God's presence and by his sen- 



them at that time, saying ^Curs- 
ed be the man before the Lord, 
that riseth up and buildeth this 
city Jericho : he shall lay the 



q 1 Kings 16. 34. 



tence. Thus Joshua is said, ch. 18. 
8, to have ' cast lots before the Lord/ 
i. e. as under his sanction and ex- 
pecting the decision from him. This 
was what gave its terror to the pen- 
alty. As to what is implied in the 
curse of God, see on Gen. 3. 14. 
II That riseth up and buildeth. That 
is, that attempts to build, that enters 
upon the work of building, that en- 
gages in it. This is often the sense 
of ' rise ' in the sacred writers. The 
denunciation is here limited to the 
builder, and extends not to those who 
should inhabit the city after it was 
built, for that it was subsequently re- 
built and inhabited is evident. See 
below. IT Shall lay the foundation 
thereof in his first-born, &c. That is, 
shall lose all his children in the in- 
terval between laying the foundation 
and completing the walls ; he shall, 
as it were, lay the first stone on the 
dead body of his eldest son, and the 
last on that of his youngest. This 
is said to have been fulfilled in Hiel, 
the Bethelite, 1 Kings, 16. 34, who 
rebuilt Jericho in the reign of Ahaz, 
and ' laid the foundation thereof in 
Abiram his first-born, and set up the 
gates thereof in his youngest son 
Segub.' This was 550 years after the 
utterance of the curse. The city 
does not appear, however, to have 
lain in ruins during the whole pe- 
riod from Joshua to Hiel, at least if 
the * city of palm trees,' mentioned 
Deut. 34. 3, be, as is generally suppo- 
sed, the same with Jericho, for we 
find this an inhabited place in the be- 
ginning of Judges, ch. 1. 16, a short 
time after the death of Joshua, and 
the same city appears to have been 
taken from the Israelites by Eglon, 
king of Moab, Judg. 3. 13. More- 
over, the ambassadors of David, who 
were maltreated by Hanan, king of 
the Ammonites, were commanded to 
tarry at Jericho till their beards were 



A. C> 1461.] 



foundation thereof in his first- 
born, and in his youngest son 
shall he set up the gates of it. 

27 r Sothe Lord was with Josh- 
ua ; and 8 his fame was noised 
throughout all the country. 

r Ch. 1. 5. • Ch. 9. 1, 3. 

grown, 2 Sam. 10. 4, 5. It appears) 
therefore, that there was a city which 
went under this name long before 
the time of Hiel, unless it be suppo- 
sed that the ' city of palm trees ' was 
a different place from the ancient 
Jericho, though standing in its neigh- 
borhood, and sometimes called by its 
name, which we think not improba- 
ble, especially as Josephus speaks of 
the site of the old city of Jericho, as 
if to distinguish it from a more mod- 
ern one. 

27. The Lord was with Joshua, &c. 
That is, by his powerful aid, giving 
him miraculous assistance, magni- 
fying him and raising his reputation, 
making him acceptable to Israel, and 
formidable to the Canaanites. ' No- 
thing can more raise a man's repu- 
tation, nor make him appear more 
truly great, than to have the evidence 
of God's presence with him.' Henry. 

CHAP. VII. 

1. Committed a trespass. Heb. 
'prevaricated a prevarication. 5 The 
sin of an individual is imputed to 
the whole people. This is on the 
ground of the constituted oneness of 
social and eclesiastical bodies. See 
note on ch. 1. 12. In like manner, 
Mat. 26. 8, it is said, that ' the disci- 
ples had indignation, saying, To 
what purpose is this waste V Where- 
as from John, 12. 4, 5, it appears 
that it was Judas only who made 
this remark.— No man, in sinning, 
can be sure that the consequences 
will stop with himself. For aught 
he knows, they may affect the whole 
extent of his relations ; and this 
ought to make us watchful both over 
ourselves and others, that we neither 
commit nor countenance deeds that 
may spread desolation over the bosom 



CHAPTER VII. 68 

CHAPTER VII. 
"DUT the children of Israel 
-*-* committed a trespass in the 
accursed thing : for a Achan, tho 
son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, 
the son of Zerah, of the tribe of 



of a whole community. ' So venom- 
ous is sin, especially when it lights 
among God's people, that one dram 
of it is able to infect the whole mass 
of Israel. 5 Bp. Hall. IT In the ae*> 
cursed thing. In respect to the ac- 
cursed thing ; in taking a portion of 
the spoils of the city, the whole of 
which God had commanded to be 
either destroyed or dedicated to the 
sanctuary. IT Achan, the son of 
Carmi. This Achan is elsewhere 
called Achar, trouble or the troubler % 
undoubtedly in allusion to the effect 
of his conduct on this occasion. See 
on v. 25 and ch. 6. 18. In like man- 
ner Bethel, house of God, is called 
Bethaven, house of vanity, Hos. 4. 
15, on account of the idolatry prac- 
tised there. Nothing is more com- 
mon in the Scriptures, than for the 
names of persons and places to be 
changed in consequence of, and in 
allusion to, certain remarkable 
events by which they may have been 
distinguished. IT Son of Zabdi, 
Called also Zimri, 1 Chron. 2. 6. 
The line of his parentage is thus 
recited, among other reasons, that 
the discredit of such a foul deed 
may be reflected back upon those 
of his ancestors who, by being remiss 
in their duties as parents, had been, 
in one sense, the procuring cause of 
his sin. This is not an uncommon 
occurrence in the sacred writings. 
It seems to have been with a similar 
design, that the genealogy of Zimri is 
given, Num. 25. 14. In like manner 
the praise of the excellence of a son 
redounds to the honor of the line 
from which he springs. A warn- 
ing is hereby administered to parents, 
to give the most diligent heed in 
training their offspring in the fear 
of God, lest they be a reproach to 



66 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



Judah, took of the accursed thing : 
and the angeroftheLoRD was kin- 
dled against the children of Israel. 
2 And Joshua sent men from 
Jericho to Ai, which is beside 
Bethaven, on the east side of 
Beth-el, and spake unto them, 



their memories when they them- 
selves are no more. 

2. Sent men from Jericho to Ai. 
Called also Hai, Gen. 12, 8, and Aija, 
Neh. 11. 31, a city near the north- 
ern limit of the tribe of Benjamin, 
about ten miles north of Jerusalem, 
and nearly two east of Bethel. After 
its destruction by Joshua, it was again 
rebuilt by the Benjaminites and in- 
habited by them till the captivity. 
Sennacherib at length destroyed it, 
but though it was rebuilt after the 
Babylonish captivity, there is no ves- 
tige of it to be found at the present 
time. Even in the fourth century, 
the ruins of this city were scarcely 
visible. The spies sent on this occa- 
sion were not to go into the city, but 
merely into its vicinity, for the pur- 
pose of reconnoitring. IF Beside 
Beth-aven. This was a city of Ben- 
jamin, about three miles north of Ai, 
and nearly six miles east of Bethel, 
which gave name to the wilderness 
adjoining, ch. 18. 12. It was not the 
place called Beth-aven, Hos. 10. 5. 
See on v. 1. IT Go up and view the 
country. Heb. £ go up and foot the 
country.' So afterwards, ' and view- 
ed,' Heb. ' and footed.' 

3. Let not all the people go up, &c. 
The easy conquest of Jericho had 
probably rendered the people pre- 
sumptuous. They concluded that 
God would of course interpose for 
them just as he had done before. The 
counsel here given was based, as it 
would seem, upon a culpable assu- 
rance of success in the neglect of the 
proper means. To confide in God 
was right ; but to expect his aid while 
they neglected to use their own en- 
deavors, was nothing short of down- 
right presumption. So prone is hu- 
man nature to extremes. The first 



saying, Go up and view the 
country. And the men went up 
and viewed Ai. 

3 And they returned to Joshua, 
and said unto him, Let not all 
the people go up ; but let about 
two or three thousand men go 

spies that were sent out by Moses 
brought back the most disheartening 
report. The Canaanites were invin- 
cible, and they would surely fall be- 
fore them. Those sent to Ai were 
as much on the other extreme. Their 
enemies are contemptible, and they 
can easily carry all before them. 
Even Joshua himself seems to have 
formed his measures without taking 
the usual precaution of consulting 
God as to his duty. The result 
showed that they should at least have 
had some intimation from heaven, 
that a part of the force was to be dis- 
pensed with in this instance. But 
the truth is, they were now under the 
divine displeasure: sin unrepented 
had interrupted the communications 
of God's will, and where that is the 
case with a people or an individual, 
all goes wrong. No one can have se- 
curity that he is planning or acting 
right, while the light of the Lord's 
countenance is hidden by sin. The 
pledge of the divine blessing is want- 
ing, and he is not to be surprised if 
all his counsels are carried headlong. 
IT Make not all the people to labor 
thither. That is, to labor and fatigue 
themselves by going thither ; an ad- 
vice by which they obviously consult- 
ed the ease rather than the safety or 
glory of the people. It is perhaps in 
allusion to this incident, that Solomon 
says,Eccles. 10. 15, ' The labor of the 
foolish wearieth every one of them, 
because he knoweth not how to go to 
the city.' IT For they are but few. 
On which Henry well remarks, that 
'few as they were, they were too 
many for them.' It appears from 
ch. 8. 25, that Joshua slew in one 
day, twelve thousand of the citizens 
of Ai, and yet the spies reported the 
place meanly garrisoned, and pro- 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



57 



up and smite Ai : and make not 
all the people to labor thither ; 
for they are but few. 

4 So there went up thither of 
the people about three thousand 
men : b and they fled before the 

fen of Ai. 
5 And the men of Ai smote 

b Ley. 26. 17. DeuU 28. 25. 



of them about thirty and six men, 
for they chased them from before 
the gate even unto Shebarim, 
and smote them in the going 
down : wherefore c the hearts of 
the people melted, and became 
as water. 

6 IT And Joshua d rent his 



c Ch. 2. 9, 11. Lev. 26. 36. Ps. 22. 14. 
29,34. 



posed to send against it only a de- 
tachment of two or three thousand ! 
5. Chased them — even unto She- 
barim. Heb. ' to the breaches, break- 
ings, or shiverings ;' so called prob- 
ably from the event, because the 
ranks of the Israelites were utterly 
broken and the people, panic-struck, 
fled in the utmost confusion. IT 
Smote them in the going down. That 
is, in the descent or declivity of the 
hill on which the town stood. The 
effect of this defeat would naturally 
be (1) To serve as an evidence of 
God's displeasure, and a solemn call 
upon them to humble themselves un- 
der his mighty hand, and institute a 
rigid self-examination to discover if 
possible the cause of so sad a reverse. 
(*2) To harden the Canaanites and 
make them more secure than ever in 
their sins, prompting them to say of 
Israel, as the enemies of David said 
of him,Ps. 71. 11, ' God hath forsak- 
en him; persecute and take him, for 
there is none to deliver him.' Thus 
their ruin, when it came, would be the 
more dreadful. The Christian may 
derive some profitable hints from this 
narrative as to the conduct of the war- 
fare in which he is engaged. Notwith- 
standing the Canaan which he seeks 
is the gift of God, yet it must be ob- 
tained by a manly and continued 
conflict with our spiritual enemies. 
He must not despise any as too weak, 
nor fear any as too strong. As to 
the weak especially, he should re- 
member that there is none so weak 
but he will be able to overcome us if 
we indulge a careless habit, or con- 
fide in an arm of flesh. ^T The 
hearts of the people 'melted and became 
6 



as water. That is, were utterly dis- 
couraged. Thus the very effect which 
was threatened to be produced on the 
devoted nations by the approach of 
the Israelites, was now in the right- 
eous judgment of God wrought in 
the hearts of his own sinning people. 
See on Ex. 15. 15. Josh. 2. 9, 11. 

6. Joshua rent his clothes. A usual 
mode, among the ancients, of ex- 
pressing the highest degree of sor- 
row or grief. See Illustration of the 
Scriptures, p. 156. Itwasnotsomuch 
the defeat itself as the undoubted 
though unknown guilty cause of it 
that distressed Joshua. It showed 
evidently that for some reason or 
other, the Lord's hand was turned 
against them, as otherwise it would 
not have been possible for the ene- 
my to have prevailed. IF Until even 
tide. Thus spending the whole day 
in fasting and prayer. We cannot 
but highly applaud the conduct of 
Joshua on this occasion. The con- 
cern he expressed for the loss of so 
many lives evinced a heart full of 
tender and generous sympathies. 
Common generals would have ac- 
counted the loss of thirty-six men as 
nothing ; but the blood of Israel was 
precious in the sight of Joshua. 
We might have expected too that he 
would have blamed the spies for de- 
ceiving him in relation to the 
strength of the city ; and have pun- 
ished the soldiers for cowardice ; 
but he viewed the hand of God, rath- 
er than of man in this disaster ; and 
this led to what all must admire, his 
deep humiliation before God. But 
his tender regard for the honor of 
the divine name was that which em- 



58 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



clothes, and fell to the earth 
upon his face before the ark of 
the Lord until the even-tide, he 
and the elders of Israel, and 
*put dust upon their heads. 

7 And Joshua said, Alas ! 
O Lord God, f wherefore hast 



e 1 Sara. 4. 12. .2 Sam. 1. 2. & 13. 19. Neh. 9. 1. 
Job 2. 12. f Ex. 5. 22. 2 Kings 3. 10. 



inently distinguished him on this oc- 
casion, ' O Lord, 5 what wilt thou do 
unto thy great name'?' This was the 
plea which Moses had often used, 
and to which God had paid especial 
regard ; and the man that feels it in 
his soul, and urges it in sincerity and 
truth can never be ultimately foiled. 
U Put dust upon their heads. Rend- 
ing the clothes, beating the breast, 
tearing the hair, putting dust on the 
head, and falling down prostrate, 
have always been among Eastern 
nations the usual marks of deep 
affliction and distress. 

7. Wherefore hast thou brought this 
people, &c. Heb. ' passing caused to 
pass ;' i. e. by a most stupendous mir- 
acle. This prayer of Joshua ap- 
pears at first view to have been 
prompted by a murmuring complain- 
ing spirit very much akin to that 
manifested by the children of Israel 
on several occasions, in the wilder- 
ness. Ex. 14. 11, 1*2—16. 3. Num. 
14. 3. Taken according to the letter 
it has an air of bold and rather irrev- 
erent remonstrance, which would not 
have been expected from the pious 
Captain of Israel, especially in a sea- 
son of fasting and prayer, when he 
appears to have been most profound- 
ly humbled. But much of this, un- 
doubtedly, arises from the difficulty 
of transfusing the precise import of 
the original into English. The ex- 
pressions ' to deliver, ' ' to destroy, ' 
according to a very common idiom, 
imply not the design, but simply the 
event. Joshua would not intimate 
that God had led the people into Ca- 
naan with the express intention of de- 
livering them into the hands of their 
enemies, but he humbly enquires 
why he had permitted an occurrence 



thou at all brought this people 
over Jordan, to deliver us into 
the hand of the Amorites, to 
destroy us? would to God we 
had been content, and dwelt on 
the other side Jordan ! 

8 O Lord, what shall I say 



that seemed likely to issue in such 
an event, one entirely foreign to the 
original purpose. Before the phrase 
1 would to God, &c.' the word ' and' 
occurs in the Hebrew, which is to- 
tally disregarded by our translators, 
requiring the sentence to be filled 
out by some such addition as this : — 
' to destroy us, and (to cause us to 
say,) would to God we had been 
content, &c.' It is as if he should 
say ; — ' Should thy promises, O Lord 
God, now fail of accomplishment on 
account of our sin, the great miracle 
thou hast wrought in bringing us 
over Jordan would seem to be una- 
vailing, and all thy past mercies 
abortive. To all human view T it 
would have been better for us to have 
remained on the other side of Jordan, 
and toe shall be strongly prompted 
to wish that that had been the case, 
for it will be inferred from the event, 
that thy sole purpose in bringing us 
hither, was to deliver us into the 
hands of the Amorites for our de- 
struction, rather than to deliver them 
into our hands.' This we have no 
doubt is the real drift of Joshua's ex- 
postulation, and as nothing in the an- 
swer which God makes to him car- 
ries the air of reprehension or re- 
buke,, we see no reason to think that 
any thing of the kind was merited. 
His words were evidently prompted 
by the most commendable feelings. 
He felt for the thousands of Israel 
whom he considered as abandoned 
to destruction. He felt too for the 
glory of God, for he knew that should 
Israel be destroyed, God's great name 
would be blasphemed among the hea- 
then. He therefore uses an argu- 
ment based perhaps on the very 
words of God himself, Deut. 32. 27, 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



when Israel turneth their backs 
before their enemies ! 

9 For the Canaanites, and all 
the inhabitants of the land shall 
hear of it, and shall environ us 
round, and 'cut off our name 
from the earth : and h what wilt 
thou do unto thy great name ? 

g Vs. 83. 4. h See Ex. 32. 12. Nt.ni. 14. 13. 

1 Were it not that I feared the wrath 
of the enemy, lest their adversaries 
should behave themselves strangely, 
and lest they should say, &c.' 

8. What shall J say, &c. Heb. 
1 what shall I say after (i. e. since, 
or seeing that) Israel hath turned the 
neck before his enemies.' What 
construction shall I put upon it, or 
how shall I answer the reproaches 
and taunts of thine enemies, when 
Israel, thine own people, for whom 
thou hast done such great things, 
and to whom thou hast made such 
glorious promises, when they turn 
their backs in ignoble flight before 
their enemies ! He speaks as one 
at a loss what to think of the unhap- 
py events that had just occurred; 
as if nothing more strange or mar- 
vellous could have happened than 
the defeat of the chosen people. IF 
What icilt thou do to thy great name? 
i. e. What wilt thou do in respect to 
thy great name 1 How wilt thou 
preserve its glory unstained when 
such a flood of obloquy shall be 
poured upon it by the scoffing hea- 
then ? The cutting off of our name, 
though that w r ould vastly disparage 
thy power and faithfulness, yet that 
is a matter of less consequence ; 
but, O Lord, how wilt thou con- 
sult the honor of thine own blessed 
and glorious name, were such an ad- 
vantage to be given to the adversa- 
ry 1 Comp. Ex. 32. 12. Num. 14. 13. 
Joel 2. 27. 

10. Get thee up. Heb. ( rise or stand 
up for thyself.' IF Wherefore liest 
thou thus upon thy face ? Heb. ' where- 
fore this, (that) thou art falling down 
upon thy face !' i. e. continuing to fall, 
doing it again and again. Not the 



10 IT And the Lord said unto 
Joshua, Get thee up ; wherefore 
liest thou thus upon thy face? 

11 i Israel hath sinned, and 
they have also transgressed my 
covenant which I commanded 
them : k for they have even taken 
of the accursed thing, and have 



language of rebuke, as though God 
were displeased with Joshua for pros- 
trating himself in this humble pos- 
ture, and bemoaning in bitterness of 
soul the disaster that had befallen 
Israel; but merely implying that it 
was now enough ; that God would 
not have him any longer continue 
that mournful posture ; that he had 
other work to do than to spend time 
in grieving and afflicting himself in 
view of what was past ; that he must 
arise and set about discovering the 
accursed thing, and casting it out; in 
a word that he must lay aside his 
mourning weeds and enter upon 
that which was especially and pre- 
eminently at present incumbent 
upon htm. ' For every thing there 
is a season, and it behoves us to see 
that the time is not spent in empty 
lamentation which God would have 
devoted to vigorous action in reform- 
ing what is amiss.' Henry. 

11. Israel hath sinned. For a view 
of the reason w r hy this is spoken of 
as the act of the whole body of Is- 
rael, see note on v. 1. IT Have also 
transgressed my covenant. That is, 
have broken the conditions of the 
covenant or agreement of general 
obedience into which they had before 
entered, Ex. 19. 8—24. 7; or, have 
transgressed the particular precept 
relative to the accursed thing, ch. 6. 
19. Covenant, in the Scriptures, often 
has the sense of command, precept, 
ordinance, IT Have also stolen. Have 
sacrilegiously taken and appropriat- 
ed to their own use the portion which 
I had reserved to myself, and or- 
dered to be broughtinto the treasury. 
IT And dissembled also. Have cover- 
ed the deed with deep dissimulation ; 



60 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



also stolen, and idissembled also, 
and they have put it even among 
their own stuff. 

12 m Therefore the children 
of Israel could not stand before 
their enemies, but turned their 
backs before their enemies, be- 
cause n they were accursed : 
neither will I be with you any 
more, except ye destroy the ac- 
cursed from among you. 

13 Up, °sanctify the people, 
and say pSanctify yourselves 
against to-morrow : for thus 

1 See Acts 5, 1, 2 m See Num. 14. 45. Judg. 2. 14- 
a Deut 7. 26. ch. 6. 18. o Ex. 19. 10. p ch. 3. 5. 



saith the Lord God of Israel, 
There is an accursed thing in 
the midst of thee, O Israel : thou 
canst not stand before thine ene- 
mies, until ye take away the ac- 
cursed thing from among you. 

14 In the morning therefore 
ye shall be brought according to 
your tribes : and it shall be, that 
the tribe which ^ the Lord taketh 
shall come according to the fam- 
ilies thereof; and the family 
which the Lord shall take shall 
come by households : and the 



q Prov. 16. 33- 



instead of ingenuously confessing 
the sin and imploring pardon, have 
studiously endeavored to hide it, as if 
by concealing it from their brethren 
they had concealed it also from me. 
The crime is recited with the utmost 
particularity .in order that its various 
aggravations may be more impres- 
sively set forth. IT Have put it even 
among their own stuff. Among their 
own goods. 

12. Because they were accursed. In 
exact accordance with the threaten- 
ing before denounced against them, 
ch. 6. 18. Joshua was thus informed 
that this, and nothing else, was the 
ground of the controversy which God 
now had with his people. They had, 
by their iniquity, put themselves out 
of the range of his protection and 
blessing, and unless summary pun- 
ishment was executed upon the of- 
fender, they would transfer upon 
themselves the very curse denoun- 
ced against their adversaries. IF Ex- 
cept ye destroy the accursed, The ac- 
cursed person with all that pertains 
to him, v. 24. 

13, Up, sanctify the people. That 
is, command and see that they sancti- 
fy themselves. Cause them to purify 
their persons by legal washings, but 
more especially to put themselves 
into a suitable frame of mind to ap- 
pear before God, and submit to the 



divine scrutiny. Although the act 
of Achan had been perpetrated with 
so much caution that it was unper- 
ceived by any human being, yet the 
eye of God had been upon it, arid he 
declared to Joshua the true reason of 
his displeasure, and of Israel's defeat. 
But, though he revealed the fact, he 
did not name the person that had com- 
mitted it, but left that to be discover- 
ed in a way more impressive to the 
nation, and more merciful to the of- 
fender, inasmuch as it gave him time 
for repentance and voluntary ac- 
knowledgment. IT There is an 
accursed thing, &c. The crime of 
sacrilege has been committed in the 
midst of thee, O Israel. 

14. Ye shall be brought. Heb. { ye 
shall come near;' i. e. to the taber- 
nacle, or to the ark, wherever that 
might now be deposited. IT The 
tribe which the Lord taketh. That is r . 
the tribe which shall be discovered 
or declared guilty by the lot. The 
tribe thus indicated is said to be 
1 taken by the Lord,' because the lot 
was disposed of by him, according to 
Prov. 16. 33; the transaction was 
specially overruled by him in his 
mysterious providence for the de- 
tection of the guilty. Of the sacred 
use of lots, see 1 Sam. 10. 20, 21.— 
14.41,42. Acts 1.24,26. The origi- 
nal for ' take' has the import of ar« 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



61 



household which the Lord shall 
take shall come man by man. 

15 r And it shall be, that he 
that is taken with the accursed 
thing shall be burnt with fire, 
he and all that he hath : because 
he hath transgressed the cove- 
nant of the Lord, and because 
he *hath wrought folly in Israel. 

16 1T So Joshua rose up early 



r Sen 1 Sam. 14. 38, 39. 
Judg. 20. 6. 



bv. 11. l Gen. 34.7. 



resting, seizing, being the appropri- 
ate term for the apprehension of 
criminals. 

15. He that is taken with the accurs- 
ed thing. Heb. 'in the accursed 
thing.' That is, he that is divinely 
pointed out as being involved in the 
guilt of the accursed thing. IT Shall 
be burnt with fire. The doom ex- 
pressly appointed for persons or 
things accursed, Deut. 13. 15, 16. In 
addition to this, and previously to it, 
the culprit, as appears from v. 25, 
was to be stoned to death at the hands 
of the congregation. This was the 
punishment ordained for blasphem- 
ers and presumptuous offenders, 
Num. 15. 30, 35. We do not read 
that Achan verbally blasphemed, but 
all high-handed, deliberate trans- 
gression is virtual blasphemy and is 
so regarded in the judgment of hea- 
ven. IT He and all that he hath. 
His sons, daughters, cattle and goods, 
&c, all being, in the divine estima- 
tion, in consequence of their connec- 
tion with him, considered as infected 
with the taint of his guilt, and there- 
fore exposed to share with him in 
his condemnation. This may appear 
to human view a severe, if not an 
unjust, sentence, but we can only say 
it is in strict accordance with the 
general analogy of God's providence 
in this world, and as such is to be un- 
hesitatingly acknowledged as bear- 
ing the impress of perfect equity and 
justice. IT Hath wrought folly in 
Israel. That is, a base, foolish and 
sinful deed, such as every wise and 
well principled man would utterly 
6* 



in the morning, and brought Is- 
rael by their tribes; and the 
tribe of Judah was taken : 

17 And he brought the family 
of Judah ; and he took the fam- 
ily of the Zarhites : and he 
brought the family of the Zar- 
hites man by man ; and Zabdi 
was taken : 

18 And he brought his house- 



condemn. In this sense the term 
1 folly ' frequently occurs. See Gen. 
34. 7. Deut. 32. 21. 2 Sam. 13. 12. It 
was a conduct that brought shame 
and disgrace upon a nation, sustain- 
ing the reputation of a wise and un- 
derstanding people. 

17. And he brought the family of 
Judah. That is, the several families, 
the collection of families, collect, 
sing, for plur. IT He brought the 
family of the Zarhites, man by man. 
It was ordered v. 14, that all Israel 
should come near by tribes, and one 
tribe was to be fixed on; then that 
tribe came by its families, and one 
family was fixed on ; then came that 
family by its households, and one 
household was fixed on ; and finally 
that household coming man by man, 
one man was fixed on. In the pre- 
sent passage there appears to be some 
confusion in this prescribed order of 
selection. In speaking of Zarhi the 
phrase ' by households' is left out, 
and 'man by man' expressed twice. 
The probability is that a slight error 
has crept into the original text ; in- 
stead of G^^^^b man by man, v. 17, 
the true word is undoubtedly fc^roj) 
by households, and this reading, ac- 
cording to Kennicott, is preserved in 
six Hebrew copies, and in the Syriac 
version. — ' We may well imagine 
how Achan's countenance changed, 
and what horror and confusion seiz- 
ed him, when he was singled out as 
the delinquent, when the eyes of all 
Israel were fastened upon him, and 
every one was ready to say, ' Have 
we found thee, O our enemy !' Henry. 



62 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



hold man by man ; and Achan 
the son of Carmi, the son of Zab- 
di, the son of Zerah, of the tribe 
of Judah, u was taken. 

19 And Joshua said unto 
Achan, My son, x give, I pray 



u 1 Sam. 14. 42. 
John 9. 24. 



x See 1 Sam. 6. 5. Jer. 13. 16. 



thee, glory to the Lord God of 
Israel, ?and make confession un- 
to him ; and z tell me now what 
thou hast done, hide it not from 
me. 

20 And Achan answered Jo- 

y Num. 5. 6, 7- 2 Chr. 30 22. Ps. 51. 3. Dan, 
9. 4 z 1 Sam. 14 43. 



19. And Joshua said unto Achan, 
My son. Adopting this affectionate 
style of address to show that the pre- 
sent severe proceedings against him 
were not prompted by any personal ill 
will, or an angry spirit of revenge. 
Though he was obliged to act as a 
magistrate, yet he was willing Ac- 
han should know that he felt as a fa- 
ther, and in so doing proposed a 
noble example to all who have the ad- 
ministration of justice, ' not to insult 
over those who are in misery, though 
they may have brought themselves 
into it by their own wickedness, but 
to treat even offenders with the spirit 
of meekness, not knowing what we 
ourselves should have done, if God 
had put us into the hand of our own 
counsels.' Henry. IT Give glory to 
the Lord God of Israel. Heb. ' put, 
appoint, ordain, glory to the Lord 
God.' That is, by confessing the 
truth, by honestly pleading guilty to 
the charge, by ingenuously acknow- 
ledging the sin and the justice of the 
punishment which it incurred. By 
so doing he would not only ascribe 
to God the glory of his omniscience, 
from which no secrets are hid, in de- 
tecting and exposing the crime, but 
also of his justice in punishing it. 
He would in fact thereby most effec- 
tually give him the praise of all his 
perfections, and consult the best in- 
terests of his soul in the world to 
come. It appears from a similar 
usage in several other instances, that 
God regards the confession of the truth 
as very intimately connected with 
giving him glory. Thus, Luke 23. 
47, ' Now when the centurion saw 
what was done, he glorified God (i. e. 
gave him glory), saying, certainly 
this was a righteous man.' John 9. 
24, ' Then again called they the man 



that was blind, and said unto him, 
Give God the praise ; we know that 
this man is a sinner-,' on which pas- 
sage Mr. Barnes remarks, ' The 
meaning here is not, ' give God the 
praise for healing you,' but confess 
that you have declared to us a 
falsehood ; and that you have endea- 
vored to impose on us ; and by thus 
confessing your sin give praise and 
honor to God, who condemns all im- 
posture and falsehood ; and whom 
you will thus acknowledge to be right 
in your condemnation.' Nothing 
should be more deeply impressed up- 
on the mind of the sinner, than that 
the humble and penitent confession 
of guilt tends directly to the glory of 
God, and that withholding confes- 
sion is robbing him of his right, as 
well as incurring his displeasure. 
IT Tellmenow what thou hast done. The 
testimony of God would have been 
sufficient, who could neither deceive 
nor be deceived. Joshua also, who 
was now knowing to his crime, might 
have declared it, but he could not 
prove it ; and as it was intended that 
the offender should be made a public 
monument of justice, and be held up 
as a warning to the whole nation, it 
was desirable that the most indispu- 
table evidence of his guilt should be 
adduced. He is made therefore him- 
self to supply a testimony which 
none could controvert or doubt ; even 
to bear witness against himself. 
Joshua requires this confession to be 
made to him, because he stood, both 
to Achan and to the people, in God's 
stead. It was in effect the same, 
therefore, as making it to God him- 
self. 

20. Indeed I have sinned, &c. The 
confession, though not made till it 
was extorted, was finally made with 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



68 



shua, and said, Indeed I have 
sinned against the Lord God of 
Israel, and thus and thus have I 
done. 

21 When I saw among the 
spoils a goodly Babylonish gar- 
ment, and two hundred shekels 
of silver, and a wedge of gold of 
fifty shekels weight then I cov- 
eted them, and took them, and 

great frankness and ingenuousness. 
He recites the circumstances of the 
act in all their particulars and with 
all their aggravations; attempts no 
excuse or extenuation ; complains 
not of the severity of the sentence, 
nor seeks to prevent or delay its ex- 
ecution; from which we may in- 
dulge the hope however feeble, that 
the poor culprit found mercy for his 
soul. 

21. A goodly Babylonish garment. 
Heb. ' a splendid or costly robe of 
Shinar,' rendered 'Babylonish gar- 
ment,' because Babylon or Babel 
was situated in the plain of Shinar. 
Bochart and Calmet have shown at 
large that Babylonish robes were 
very splendid and in high repute. 
Ezek. 23. 15. Josephus calls it ' a 
royal garment woven entirely of 
gold.' The word signifies such a 
robe or mantle as princes wore when 
they appeared in state, Jon. 3. 6 and 
this probably belonged to the king of 
Jericho. IT Two hundred shekels 
of silver. In weight, not in coin. Its 
value in our currency was a little 
upwards of one hundred dollars. 
U" A wedge of gold. Heb. ' a tongue 
of gold,' i. e. what we understand by 
an ingot of gold, a corruption, ac- 
cording to A. Clarke, of the word 
I ingot signifying a little tongue. IT I 
coveted them and took them. The 
three words occurring in this narra- 
tive, ' I saw — I coveted — I took,' 
strikingly express the rise, progress, 
and consummation of crime. The 
whole process is here laid open. 
The inward corruption of the heart 



behold, they are hid in the earth 
in the midst of my tent, and the 
silver under it. 

22 IT So Joshua sent messen- 
gers, and they ran unto the tent, 
and behold, it was hid in his 
tent, and the silver under it. 

23 And they took them out 
of the midst of the tent, and 
brought them unto Joshua and 



object. The desire of gratification 
is then formed, and the determina- 
tion to attain it fixed. Then comes 
the act itself, followed by its bitter 
and fearful consequences. In this 
instance the temptation entered by 
the eye ; he saw those fine things as 
Eve saw the forbidden fruit ; and he 
allowed his eyes to gaze and feast 
upon the interdicted objects. The 
sight inflamed his desire; and he 
coveted them. The next step was to 
carry out the feeling into act; the 
desire prompted him to take them, as 
he actually did, and thus accom- 
plished the fearful deed. So natu- 
rally does lust, when it hath concei- 
ved, bring forth sin, and sin when 
finished bringeth forth death. The 
only way to avoid sin in action is to 
quench its incipient workings in the 
heart, to mortify sinful desires, espe- 
cially the desire of worldly wealth, 
the source of such untold evils in the 
world. IT And the silver under it. 
That is, under the Babylonish gar- 
ment ; covered with it, or wrapped 
up in it. 

22. So Joshua sent messengers. To 
put to the test the truth of his confes- 
sion. IF And they ran unto the tent. 
Ran , not only to show their alacrity 
in obeying Joshua's orders, but to 
show also how uneasy they were till 
the camp was cleared of the accursed 
thing, and the divine favor regained. 
IT It was hid. That is, the parcel of 
things mentioned v. 21, 24. 

23. Laid them out before the Lord. 
Heb. 'poured them out before the 
Lord.' That is, before the ark of 

is first drawn forth by some enticing | the covenant, the hallowed sign of 



64 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



Unto all the children of Israel, 
and laid them out before the 
Lord. 

24 And Joshua and all Israel 
with him, took Achan the son 
of Zerah, and the silver, and the 
garment, and the wedge of gold, 
and his sons, and his daughters, 



the Lord's presence, where Joshua 
and the elders were awaiting the is- 
sue of the transaction. 

24. And his sons and his daughters. 
As no intimation is given that 
Achan's sons or any of his family 
were accessary to his crime, we are 
not warranted perhaps in supposing 
that they were now condemned to 
suffer on that account; although it 
maybe admitted that he could not ve- 
ry easily have concealed the articles 
in the midst of the tent without some 
of its inmates being privy to it. But 
the supposition of their guilt we do 
not deem necessary to vindicate the 
equity and justice of the sentence. 
As all lives are really forfeited by 
sin ; as the ungodly deserve worse 
punishment than "temporal death, 
and as God, the supreme arbiter of 
life and death, may exact the debt 
which all owe in any way or time 
that seemeth to him good, we know 
not who can question the righteous- 
ness of his judgment on this occasion. 
If evil, no injustice would be done 
them, and if good, they would the 
sooner be taken to their reward; 
and we can easily conceive that the 
death of a few persons at this par- 
ticular juncture and under the sol- 
emn circumstances in which they 
now stood, might be attended with the 
happiest results. They were now 
in the commencement of their na- 
tional existence in Canaan. It was 
necessary that the people should 
know, by a fresh demonstration, 
what a God they had to do with. 
Whilst they learned from his mer- 
cies how greatly he was to be loved, 
hey needed also to learn from his 



and his oxen, and his asses, and 
his sheep, and his tent, and all 
that he had : and they brought 
them unto a the valley of Achor. 
25 And Joshua said, b Why 
hast thou troubled us ? the Lord 
shall trouble thee this day. c And 
all Israel stoned him with stones, 

a ▼. 26. ch. 15. 7. b ch. 6. 18. 1 Chro. 2. 7. Gai. 
5. 12. c Deut. 17. 5. 



judgments how greatly he was to be 
feared. This lesson would be effec- 
tually taught them by the present act 
of severity, and the death of a sin- 
gle individual might, by its admon- 
itory influence, be the means of af- 
terwards preventing the death of 
many thousands. IF His oxen, and 
his asses, and his sheep. Brute beasts 
are of course incapable of sin and so 
of punishment, properly so called, 
but as they are made for man's use, 
and are daily killed for food, there 
seems no impropriety in taking 
away their lives for moral purposes, 
to show us more impressively the 
destructive and detestable nature of 
sin. The truth is, the animal world 
being orignally formed for the ser- 
vice of man, is to be considered 
as a kind of appendage to him and 
so is made to share in his lot, 
whether of weal or woe. On this 
principle the earth with its vari- 
ous tribes felt the effects of the curse 
when Adam sinned, and the whole 
creation has groaned in bondage ever 
since. Occurrences like that men- 
tioned in the text are merely illus- 
trations of this general law. IT And 
they brought them unto the valley of 
Achor. Heb. 'brought them up, 
made them go up or ascend.* Per- 
sons are generally said to descend to 
a valley, but the phraseology here is 
probably founded on the relative sit- 
uation of the valley and the camp. 
In going to it they may have been 
obliged to travel some distance over 
the hilly country towards the inte- 
rior. This would be ascending from 
the Jordan, and that such was the 
fact is to be inferred from ch. 15. 7. 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



65 



and burned them with fire, after 

they had stoned them with stones. 

26 And they d raised over him 

d Ch. 8. 29. 2 Sam. 18. 17. Lam. ?. 53. 



a great heap of stones unto this 
day. So Uhe Lord turned from 
the fierceness of his anger : 

eDeut. 13. 17. 2 Sam. 21. 14. 



The valley is called Achor by anti- 
cipation. It was so named from the 
event. 

25. Why hast thou troubled us ? 
the Lord shall trouble thee this day. 
This is said in allusion to the words 
of the warning ch. 4. 18, ' Lest ye 
make the camp of Israel a curse and 
trouble it.' From this circumstance 
his name Achan seems to have been 
changed to Achar, trouble , i.e. troub- 
ler. 1 Chron. 2. 7. See on ch. 6. 
18. How strikingly did Achan's 
conduct verify the saying of Solo- 
mon, Prov. 15. 87, c He that is 
greedy of gain troubleth his own 
house ;' and how clear from this in- 
stance, is it that sin is a very trouble- 
some^ as well as a very wicked thing, 
and that not only to the sinner him- 
self, but to all around him. IT And 
all Israel stoned him with stones. 
The burning therefore commanded 
v. 15, must have had reference to the 
dead body. He was first stoned, 
and his carcase then consigned to 
the flames, himself and all his shar- 
ing the same fate. 'He perished 
not alone in his iniquity.' The pun- 
ishment is said to have been execu- 
ted by ' all Israel,' not because every 
individual without exception had a 
hand in it, but because all were pre- 
sent as spectators, all were consent- 
ing to the act, and as many as could 
be were active agents in it in the 
name of the rest. This showed the 
universal detestation of the deed and 
their anxiety to avert from them the 
divine displeasure. 

26. Raised over him a great heap of 
stones. As a monument to perpetu- 
ate the memory of this transaction, 
and to serve as a warning to all fu- 
ture generations to beware of pre- 
sumptuous sin. The burying place 
of Absalom was distinguished by a 
similar erection, as a monument of 
his disgrace to future ages. 2 Sam. 
18. 17. IT Unto this day. That is, 



that remaineth unto this day. In a 
parallel passage, ch. 8. 29, the sup- 
plementary words 'that remaineth 7 
are inserted in the text. IT Was 
called the valley of Achor. Or, Heb. 
' the valley of trouble' from the 
event. In Hos. 2. 15 7 the valley of 
Achor is said to be given to Israel 
as a ' door of hope,' in allusion to the 
transaction that now occurred here, 
and implying, perhaps, that when 
they had repented and put away the 
accursed thing, then there would be- 
gin to be a door of hope concerning 
them, and that the very places, which 
had before been the scenes of trouble- 
some judgments and the memorials 
of wrath, should henceforth become 
only the mementos of the most sig- 
nal mercies. Compare Ezra 10. 2. 
Where sin is seen and lamented, and 
decisive steps taken towards refor- 
mation, there are tokens for good, 
and even gross offenders may receive 
encouragement. God is always 
pleased to have the monuments of 
his displeasure converted, by the 
conversion of sinners, into the re- 
membrancers of kindness. — From 
the foregoing narrative we may 
learn, (1) The deceitfulness of sin. 
Achan, at first, had in mind only the 
satisfaction he should feel in possess- 
ing the Babylonish garment and the 
wedge and shekels of gold and silver. 
The ideas of shame and remorse and 
misery were hid from him. But ah ? 
with what different thoughts did he 
contemplate his gains, when inquisi- 
tion was made to discover the offen- 
der ! How would he begin to tremble 
when he saw that his own tribe was 
selected as containing the guilty per- 
son ! How would his terror be in- 
creased when he saw his own family 
pointed out ! and what dread would 
seize upon him when the lot fell 
upon his household ! What a paleness 
would be spread over his cheeks, and 
what a trembling would take hold of 



66 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



wherefore the name of that place 
was called, f The valley of 
Achor, unto this day. 



A 



CHAPTER VIII. 

ND the Lord said unto Josh- 
ua, a Fear not, neither be 



f v. 24. Is. 65. 10. Hos. 2. 15. 
7 18. & 31. 8. ch. 1. 9. 



a Deut, 1. 21. & 



his limbs ! What now becomes of all 
his expected enjoyments'? What 
beauty does he now see in the splen- 
did garment, or what value in the 
shining metals ? Ah ! could he but 
recall the act, which has thus brought 
him to shame and ruin ! But it is too 
late. The deed is done, and the 
sense of guilt, as with the fangs of 
a serpent, has fastened itself upon 
his inmost spirit ! Thus too with the 
transgressor of every name. The 
thief, the adulterer, the seducer, in 
the commission of crime, thinks only 
of the pleasure the gratification of 
his lusts will afford. But he has no 
sooner attained his object than his 
before blinded eyes are opened, and 
the enormity of his sin stares him 
full in the face. Then he finds that 
it stings like a serpent and bites like 
an adder. (2) The certainty of its ex- 
posure. Achan took great precau- 
tions to conceal his iniquity, but it 
was unavailing. Men may hide 
their wickedness from their fellow 
men, but not from God. His provi- 
dence will sooner or later bring the 
hidden iniquity to the light, and for 
the most part in this world. But cer- 
tainly in the great day of the revela- 
tion of all things. To every sinner 
therefore may the solemn warning 
be addressed, i Be sure your sin will 
find you out.' (3) The awfulness of 
its reward. Who does not shudder 
at the thought of that vengeance 
which was executed on Achan and 
his family 1 Who does not see how 
fierce the indignation of God against 
sin was, when the sin of one single 
person prevailed more to provoke 
him against the whole nation, than 
the innocence of the whole did to pa- 



thou dismayed : take all the peo- 
ple, of war with thee, and arise, 
go up to Ai : see, b I have given 
into thy hand the king of Ai, 
and his people, and his city, 
and his land : 

2 And thou shalt do to Ai and 



cify his wrath against the individ" 
ual 1 When in fact nothing but the 
most signal punishment of the indi- 
vidual could reconcile him to the na- 
tion to which he belonged 7 Yet was 
all this but a faint shadow of the in- 
dignation which he will manifest in 
a future world. We should profit 
from such a history as this. We 
should learn to dread the displeasure 
of the Almighty, and to glorify him 
now by an ingenuous confession, 
that he may not be glorified hereafter 
in our eternal condemnation. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1. Fear not, neither be thou dis- 
mayed. The sin of Achan and its 
consequences had probably weighed 
deeply on the spirits of Joshua, griev- 
ing and discouraging him, so as to 
render this renewed exhortation pe- 
culiarly seasonable at this time. 
When we have faithfully put away 
the sin that separated between God 
and us, we may confidently expect 
the light of his countenance to be re- 
stored to us, and that he will animate 
us with such encouragements as 
shall banish the fear of our most 
formidable enemies. fT Take all 
the people of war with thee. This 
can hardly be understood of the whole 
number of men of war in the congre- 
gation, which amounted to upwards 
of six hundred thousand. It is more 
probable that by ' all the people of 
war' is to be understood the thirty 
thousand men mentioned v. 3, the 
choicest part, the flower of the host, 
those who were most experienced in 
warlike affairs. The main body of 
the soldiery remained in the camp 
at Gilgal. IT / have given. I have 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



67 



her king, as thou didst unto 
c Jericho and her king: only 
d the spoil thereof, and the cattle 
thereof, shall ye take for a prey 
unto yourselves : lay thee an 
ambush for the city behind it. 

cCh. 6. 21. d Deut. 20. 14. 

purposed to give. The event is cer- 
tain, that they shall be delivered in- 
to your power. IT And his land. 
That is, the territory immediately 
adjoining the city, and under the ju- 
risdiction of the king. 

2. Thou shalt do io Ai and her 
king as thou didst unto Jericho and 
her king. That is, in general, in 
the main, not in every particular. 
Ai was to be overcome and destroy- 
ed, and in this respect its fate was to 
resemble that of Jericho. But the 
precise manner of its destruction 
was not the same ; the king of Ai 
was not to be put to death by the 
sword, as the king of Jericho had 
been, nor was a curse denounced 
against him that should rebuild Ai, 
as was the case in regard to Jericho. 
IT Only the spoil thereof — shall ye 
take to yourselves. This was the 
grand point of difference in the pre- 
scribed manner of treating the two 
cities. In the one case, the spoil 
was granted to the people ; in the 
other not. There was, therefore, no 
danger of their committing the same 
trespass here that they had there. 
' Observe how Achan, who catched at 
forbidden spoil, lost that, and life, 
and all, but the rest of the people, 
who had conscientiously refrained 
from the accursed thing were quick- 
ly recompensed for their obedience 
with the spoil of Ai. The way to 
have the comfort of what God allows, 
is, to forbear what he forbids us. No 
man shall lose by his selfdenial.' 
Henry. IT Lay thee an ambush 

for the city behind it. That is, on 
the west side of the city, as the Isra- 
elites, at the time of receiving this 
command were on the east side of it, 
and the orientals in designating the 
relative position of places, were al- 
ways supposed to face the east. This 



3 IF So Joshua arose, and all 
the people of war, to go up 
against Ai : and Joshua chose 
out thirty thousand mighty men 
of valour, and sent them by night. 

4 And he commanded them. 



stratagem is to be justified on the 
ground that God commanded it, 
and it is obvious that if it was 
right for them to overpower their 
enemies, it was equally right to out- 
wit them, if they could do it. ' No 
treaties were violated, no oaths bro- 
ken, no falsehoods uttered; and it 
cannot be requisite to inform our 
enemies of our intentions and pur- 
poses, however they maybe deceived 
by appearances. But perjuries, lies, 
and infractions of treaties cannot, in 
any war or in any case, be allowa- 
ble or excusable.' Scott. 

3. So Joshua arose to go up against 
Ai. That is, set about the business 
of going up, took measures prepar- 
atory to it, consulted and laid the plan 
of operations. It does not express 
the fact of their actually marching 
towards Ai, for this is inconsistent 
with what follows, but according to 
a familiar idiom of the Hebrew, on 
which we have remarked before, ch. 
6. 25, merely implies their entering 
upon the preliminary measures . ' T o 
arise' in innumerable instances in 
the scriptures means nothing more 
than to address one's self to a particu- 
lar business, to set about it, to engage 
in it. IT Chose out thirty thousand 
mighty men. The whole number of 
men to be employed on this occasion. 
IT And sent them away by night. That 
is, as we suppose, not the whole of 
the thirty thousand, but the party of 
five thousand expressly mentioned v. 
12. The next verse, as well as v. 9, 
seems to limit it to those who were 
1 to lie in wait,' and these were un- 
questionably the five thousand, and 
not the whole detachment specified 
above, who could not well have exe- 
cuted such a design without being 
discovered. It is true that according 
to this interpretation we must suppose 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



saying, Behold, e ye shall lie in 
wait against the city, even be- 
hind the city : go not very far 
from the city, but be ye all 
ready : 

5 And I, and all the people 
that are with me, will approach 
unto the city : and it shall come 
to pass when they come out 
against us, as at the first, that 
f we will flee before them, 

6 (For they will come out af- 
ter us) till we have drawn them 
from the city : for they will say, 
They flee before us, as at the 
first : therefore we will flee be- 
fore them. 

7 Then ye shall rise up from 

e Judg. 20. 29. f Judg. 20. 32. 



the ambush, and seize upon the 
city : for the Lord your God 
will deliver it into your hand. 

8 And it shall be when ye 
have taken the city that ye shall 
set the city on fire : according 
to the commandment of the 
Lord shall ye do. eSee, I 
have commanded you. 

9 f Joshua therefore sent 
them forth ; and they went to 
lie in ambush, and abode between 
Beth. el and Ai, on the west side 
of Ai : but Joshua lodged that 
night among the people. 

10 And Joshua rose up early 
in the morning, and numbered 
the people, and went up, he and 



g2 Sam. 13. 28, 



the pronoun ' them' to be put before 
its antecedent, which is left to be in- 
ferred from the tenor of the ensuing 
narrative, but this is no unusual 
thing with the sacred writers. See 
Ex. 14. 19. Ps. 87. 1.— 105. 19. Prov. 
7. 8. On any other mode of construc- 
tion it is extremely difficult to make 
out a consistent narration of the facts. 
The reasons for sending an ambus- 
cade by night are too obvious to re- 
quire remark. 

4. And he commanded them. That 
is, the party of 5,000 just spoken of 
as sent away by night. 

5. All the people that are with me. 
That is, the 25,000 remaining after 
the 5,000 were sent away, and whom 
he kept for a lure to draw out the in- 
habitants of Ai from the city. IT As 
at the first. As on the former ex- 
pedition when Israel was so sadly 
worsted. 

6. Till ice have drawn them. Heb. 
1 till we have pulled, or plucked 
them.' 

7. Then shall ye rise up from the 
ambush. Upon the signal given, 
v. 18. 

8. Ye shall set the city on fire. Pro- 
bably this means no^more than that 



they should kindle a fire in the city, 
the smoke of which should be an in- 
dication that they had taken it. Had 
they set fire to the whole city, the 
spoils which were to be divided 
among the people, would have been 
all consumed. It appears moreover 
from v. 28, that the city was not burnt 
till afterwards. 

9. Joshua therefore sent them forth. 
That is, the detachment of five thou- 
sand spoken of above, and designa- 
ted by the pronoun 'them,' v. 3. 
IT Joshua lodged that night among 
the people. That is, the people of 
war, as they are called, v. 11, or in 
other words the 25,000. Others sup- 
pose the night was spent at the camp 
at Gilgal with the main body of the 
people. But this is less likely. 

10. Numbered the people. Or, Heb. 
' visited, inspected, mustered, set in 
order.' This again probably means 
the band of 25,000 whom he care- 
fully reviewed to see that they were 
in perfect readiness, and that none 
had withdrawn themselves during 
the darkness of the night preceed- 
ing. It would thus also appear more 
clearly when the work was done, 
that it was effected without any loss 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



the elders of Israel, before the 
people to Ai. 

11 h And all the people, even 
the people of war that were with 
him, went up, and drew nigh, and 
came before the city, and pitch- 
ed on the north side of Ai : 
now there was a valley between 
them and Ai. 

12 And he took about five 
thousand men, and set them to 
lie in ambush between Beth-el 
and Ai, on the west side of the 
city. 



of men, whereby a new ground of 
encouragement and confidence in 
God would be afforded. IT He 
and the elders of Israel. As a kind 
of council of war, to give more 
weight and solemnity to the proceed- 
ing, and to see to the just and equal 
distribution of the spoil. The elders 
were usually associated with the 
leader in every important measure 
that concerned the interests of the 
people. 

12. And he took about five thousand 
men. Rather, ' he had taken.' The 
verse is apparently thrown in as a 
parenthesis with a view to give a 
more particular explanation of what 
is said, in a general way, v. 3, 9. In- 
cidents omitted in their proper place 
are often brought in, in this manner, 
in order to prevent the interruption 
of the previous narrative. 

13. Their Hers in wait. Heb. 
'their lying in wait, their ambus- 
cade,' abst. for concrete. Or it 
may be rendered ■ their heel,' i. e. the 
hinder part of the army, referring to 
the party that lay in ambush. 
IT Went that night into the midst of 
the valley. That is, as is most 
likely, very early in the morning, 
when it was yet dark, as John, 20. 1. 
It seems hardly probable, that when 
every thing was ready they should 
have remained inactive during a 
whole day. We prefer the opinion 

7 



13 And when they had set 
the people, even all the host that 
was on the north of the city, and 
their liers in wait on the west 
of the city, Joshua went that 
night into the midst of the val- 
ley. 

14 1 And it came to pass 
when the king of Ai saw it, that 
they hasted and rose up early, 
and the men of the city went 
out against Israel to battle, he 
and all his people, at a time ap- 
pointed, before the plain : but he 



that Joshua, having sent away the 
five thousand in the evening of the 
previous day, and having taken a 
few hours sleep with the 25,000 rose 
at a very early hour, perhaps a 
little after midnight, and had them 
inspected, which might be speedily 
done by the aid of the officers, and 
then went, at so early an hour that 
it might still be called night, into 
the vallev, perhaps alone, to suppli- 
cate Goi for a blessing on t he en- 
terprise in which he was now enga- 
ged, and which had come so near 
to its crisis ; or, it. may imply that 
at this time he led the army through 
the valley, and when the day dawned 
appeared in full view of the city, 
from whence the king and people 
immediately sallied out in pursuit. 

14. When the king of Ai saw it, 
they hasted and rose up early. That 
is, when the king it-as informed of 
it, by the city guards, an alarm was 
immediately given, and the citizens 
who had not yet risen hurried from 
their beds, and soon commenced the 
pursuit. ' To see,' in scripture us- 
age, often has the sense of to know, 
to learn, to understand. IT He and 
all his people. That is, all the men 
of war ; for the rest, the old men, 
the women, and children remained 
in the city, as appears, v. 24. T 
At a time appointed, or, Heb. * at a 
concerted sign or signal.' 



70 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



iwist not that there were liers 
in ambush against him behind 
the city. 

15 And Joshua and all Israel 
k made as if they were beaten be- 
fore them, and fled by the way 
of the wilderness. 

16 And all the people that 
were in Ai were called together 
to pursue after them ; and they 
pursued after Joshua, and were 
drawn away from the city. 

17 And there was not a man 
left in Ai, or Beth-el, that went 
not out after Israel : and they 
left the city open, and pursued 
after Israel. 

18 And the Lord said unto 
Joshua, Stretch out the spear 
that is in thy hand toward Ai ; 

i Judg. 20. 34. Eccles. 9. 12. k Judg. 20. 36, &c. 

15. Made as if they were beaten. 
Turned their backs. Heb. ' were 
beaten or smitten,' but rightly un- 
derstood as here rendered, of appar- 
ently suffering themselves to be beat- 
en, to make a show or pretence of be- 
ing beaten. See a like phraseology 
Gen. 42. 7. 2 Sam. 13. 5. IT Fled by 
the way of the wilderness. Lying be- 
tween Ai and Jericho or Gilgal. 

16 And all the people that were in 
Ai. That is, all who had not sallied 
oat before, all the men able to bear 
arms who remained behind when 
the first body of pursuers issued forth 
from the city. Some portion of the 
population, however, was still left, 
who were afterwards slain, v. 24. 

17. Was not a man left in Ai. Not 
a man that was able to bear arms, 
not one fit for military service. IT Or 
Bethel. This city, situated at three 
miles distance from Ai, was proba- 
bly confederate with it and aiding it 
with forces on the present occasion. 

18. Stretch out the spear that is in 
Urine hand. That is, hold extended 
or stretched out, continue it in that 



for I will give it into thy hand. 
And Joshua stretched out the 
spear that he had in his hand to- 
ward the city. 

19 And the ambush arose 
quickly out of their place, and 
they ran as soon as he had stretch- 
ed out his hand : and they en- 
tered into the city, and took it, 
and hasted, and set the city on 
fire. 

20 And when the men of Ai 
looked behind them, they saw, 
and behold, the smoke of the city 
ascended up to heaven, and they 
had no power to flee this way 
or that way : and the people 
that fled to the wilderness turn- 
ed back upon the pursuers. 

21 And when Joshua and all 



position. Comp. v. 26. This was 
probably agreed upon as the signal 
to be given by Joshua to the men in 
ambush, to notify them of the precise 
moment when to issue forth from 
their retreat and rush into the city. 
If, as some commentators suppose, 
a flag or a burnished shieid were fix- 
ed to the end of a long spear, pike, or 
lance, making it conspicuous from 
a distance, it would still better an- 
swer the purpose intended. Con- 
joined with this there might have 
been, as far as we can see, another 
object in thus elevating the spear on 
this occasion; viz. that it should 
serve like the iifting up of Moses' 
hands in the battle with Amalek, as 
a token of the divine presence and 
assistance, a pledge of the secret effi- 
cacy of the almighty arm in securing 
them the victory. This seems high- 
ly probable from v. 26. IT Set the 
city on fire. See on v. 8. 

20. Had no poicer to flee. Heb. 
' no hand,' i. e. no place, no quarter, 
no direction to which to flee, being 
hemmed in every side. Most of the 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



71 



Israel saw that the ambush had 
taken the city, and that the 
smoke of the city ascended, then 
they turned again, and slew the 
men of Ai. 

22 And the other issued out 
of the city against them ; so they 
were in the midst of Israel, some 
on this side, and some on that 
side : and they smote them so, 
that they ilet none of them re- 
main or escape. 

23 And the king of Ai they 
took alive, and brought him to 
Joshua. 

24 And it came to 



ancient versions, however, render 
with ours ' power, ability, strength,' 
in which sense it is certain that ' hand' 
is sometimes used. IT Pursuers. 
Heb. 'pursuer,' collect, sing. 

21. When all Israel saw. That is, 
all the Israelites then present, all 
that were employed in this service. 
Such general expressions are often 
to be limited by the tenor of the nar- 
rative. 

22. And the other. Heb. ' and 
these,' i. e. those who had formed the 
ambush. IT So that they let none 
of them remain or escape. Heb. ' so 
that there remained not to them a 
survivor (i. e. one taken alive) or 
one that escaped.' They were all in- 
discriminately put to the sword, with 
the single exception mentioned in 
the next verse. 

23. The king of Ai they took alive. 
He was reserved for a more exem- 
plary and ignominious death, as a 
warning to other kings who, like 
him, might be disposed to defy the 
power of Israel. 

24. Smote it with the edge of the 
sword. Heb. 'with the mouth of the 
sword.' That is, theold men, women, 
and children who remained in the 
city, who had not joined in the pur- 
suit, v. 16, 17. 

25. Both of men and women. Heb, 



when Israel had made an end of 
slaying all the inhabitants of 
Ai in the field, in the wilderness 
wherein they chased them, and 
when they were all fallen on 
the edge of the sword, until 
they were consumed, that all 
the Israelites returned unto Ai, 
and smote it with the edge of the 
sword. 

25 And so it was, that all 
that fell that day, both of men 
and women, were twelve thou- 
sand, even all the men of Ai. 

26 For Joshua drew not his 
hand back wherewith he stretch- 



'from the man to the woman.' 
IT Twelve thousand, even all the men 
of Ai. It seems scarcely credible 
that this number should have inclu- 
ded all that were slain on this occa- 
sion, as it would leave the fighting 
men not more than two or three thou- 
sand, and yet this mere handful dar- 
ing to go forth against a force of be- 
tween twenty and thirty thousand! 
Can we believe them so infatuated, 
doomed though they were to destruc- 
tion ] We are constrained therefore 
to understand the twelve thousand of 
the effective men of arms, the sense 
in which the phrase ' men of Ai' oc- 
curs in v. 20, 21, as also the sing. 
' man ' v. 17. The assertion of the 
verse we suppose to be, that the num- 
ber of the men of war who perished, 
together with their whole families, 
old men, women, and children, was 
twelve thousand. The latter are not 
expressly but implicitly included in 
the enumeration, and the propor- 
tion which they bore to the righting 
men is a mere matter of inference. 
They were probably at least thrice 
as many. 

26. For Joshua drew not his hand 
back, <fec. The object of these words 
seems to be to assign the reason of 
the utter and unsparing destruc- 
tion of the people of Ai. The move- 



72 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



ed out the spear, until he had ut- 
terly destroyed all the inhabit- 
ants of Ai. 

27 m Only the cattle and the 
spoil of that city Israel took for 
a prey unto themselves, accord- 
ing unto the word of the Lord 
which he "commanded Joshua. 

28 And Joshua burnt Ai, 

m Num. 31. 22, 28. n v. 2. 



ments of Israel were directed by the 
uplifted spear of Joshua. As long 
as that continued stretched out they 
were to persist in the work of slaugh- 
ter. When it was let down they 
were to cease. This shows that the 
stretching out of the spear was not 
designed merely as a signal to the 
men in ambush, for in this case the 
continuance of the act would have 
been unnecessary. It was doubtless 
intended to answer the same end as 
the uplifted hands of Moses on the 
occasion before referred to, that is, 
as a visible sign of the presence and 
agency of Omnipotence in behalf of 
his people as long as it continued to 
be extended. To the judgment of 
sense there was perhaps little con- 
nection between Joshua's holding 
forth his spear and the success of the 
combatants at a distance, and it 
might have appeared that he would 
have been better employed at the 
head of the army, animating and di- 
recting them. But he knew who 
alone could give the victory, and 
that a compliance with God's com- 
mands was the surest means of ob- 
taining help from him. Hence with- 
out any apprehensions as to the issue, 
he maintained his stand before God, 
and held forth his spear till all his en- 
emies were destroyed. Such is the 
confidence and perseverance which 
the Christian is to evince in his con- 
flicts with sin and Satan, notwith- 
standing the apparently little connec- 
tion between his poor efforts and the 
destruction of such mighty foes. It 
is perhaps in allusion to this circum- 
stance that the phrase ' stretching out 



and made it °a heap for ever, 
even a desolation unto this day. 
29 pAnd the king of Ai he 
hanged on a tree until even-tide : 
^and as soon as the sun was 
down, Joshua commanded that 
they should take his carcass 
down from the tree, and cast it 
at the entering of the gate of the 

o Deut. 13. 16. p ch. 10. 26. Ps. 107. 40. & 110. ». 
q Deut. 21. 23. ch. 10.27. 

the hand against' is employed by the 
prophets as equivalent to contending 
with, or fighting against. Thus Is. 
5. 25. ' Therefore is the anger of 
the Lord kindled against his people, 
and he hath stretched forth his hand 
against them, and hath smitten them : 
and the hills did tremble and their 
carcases are torn in the midst of the 
streets. For all this his anger is not 
turned away, but his hand is stretched 
out still/ i. e. his judgments still con- 
tinue as did the slaughter of the 
Aiites while Joshua's outstretched 
spear was not withdrawn. IT Until 
he had utterly destroyed. Heb. ' had 
devoted to a curse.' 

28. Made it an heap for ever. Heb. 
c put it an heap of eternity,' i. e. an 
everlasting heap, a perpetual pile of 
ruins. The meaning is, it was made 
such/<?r a long time, through a long 
tract of ages ; a frequent sense of 
the phrase 'for ever.' It seems to 
have been rebuilt about a thousand 
years afterwards, by the Benjamin- 
ites, Neh. 11. 31, under the name of 
Aija or Aiya. IT Unto this day. 
Near the close of Joshua's life. 

29. The king of Ai he hanged. The 
kings of the devoted nations were 
dealt with with more exemplary se- 
verity than the common people, be- 
cause they were more deeply crimi- 
nal, both in having formerly by their 
connivance encouraged the abomi- 
nations of their subjects, and in now 
instigating them to resistance, when 
they might and should have known 
that resistance was vain. In the pre- 
sent case, though the king of Ai was 
taken alive and brought to Joshua, 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



73 



city, and r raiso thereon a great 
heap of stones, that remaineth 
unto this day. 

30 IT Then Joshua built an al- 
tar unto the Lord God of Israel 
•in mount Ebal, 

r C h. 7. 26. & 10. 27. b Deut. 27. 4, 5. 

yet it is not certain that he was not 
first put to death in some other way, 
and his body hung upon a tree after 
his execution as a mark of the utmost 
disgrace and detestation. Upon con- 
sulting the following passages, this 
opinion will appear far more plaus- 
ible than the one which maintains 
that he was first hung, a mode of ca- 
pital punishment that does not ap- 
pear to have been customary in those 
early days, ch. 10. 26. 2 Sam. 4. 12. 
1 Sam. 31. 8 — 10. IT As soon as the 
sun was down. This was according 
to the law, Deut. 21. 22, 23, ' If a 
man have committed a sin worthy of 
death, and he be to be put to death, 
and thou hang him on a tree ; his 
body shall not remain upon the tree, 
but thou shalt in any wise bury him 
that day.' IT Cast it at the entering 
of the gate. The gates of cities were 
usually the places of judgment, of the 
transaction of the most important 
public business, and of general re- 
sort and rendezvous. We know of 
no other reason for casting the dead 
body of the king of Ai in this place, 
than that it was the most public place 
that could be chosen, one that would 
stamp the act with the utmost possible 
notoriety. 

30. Joshua built an altar — in mount 
Ebal. This was in obedience to the 
command given Deut. 27. 42 — 8, on 
which see notes. Mount Ebal, as 
well as mount Gerizim, was situated 
near Shechem in what was after- 
wards the tribe of Ephraim, and 
not far from the ancient Samaria. 
It was at considerable distance 
from the camp at Gilgal, yet as it 
was a ceremony that had been ex- 
pressly commanded, and the perfor- 
mance of which was not to be delay- 
ed any longer than was absolutely 
7* 



31 As Moses the servant of 
the Lord commanded the chil- 
dren of Israel, as it is written in 
the 'book of the law of Moses, 
An altar of whole stones, over 
which no man hath lifted up any 

t Ex. 20.25. Deut. 27.5,6. 



necessary after they had entered Ca- 
naan, Deut. 27. 2, they seem to have 
penetrated in a body through the 
mountainous regions that interven- 
ed, till they came to the appointed 
place, although no details of the 
journey thither are given. Viewed 
in connection with their then present 
circumstances the incident was a 
very remarkable one. While enga- 
ged in the mid career of conquest, the 
business of the war is suddenly sus- 
pended, and instead of pushing their 
victories on every side, after master- 
ing the frontier towns, they com- 
mence a peaceful march into the 
heart of the country to attend upon a 
religious solemnity ! But God had 
ordered it, and they cheerfully obey- 
ed. Whatsoever else stands still, 
the service of God must go forward. 
Whatever other interest may suffer, 
our spiritual concerns must receive 
attention. But in truth there is no 
danger that our worldly interests will 
suffer in consequence of a paramount 
regard to the one thing needful. God 
will take them into his own hand, 
and see that we are no losers by any 
thing done for him. In the present 
instance, we see that his providential 
care was wonderfully exercised to- 
wards his faithful servants. Though 
in the midst of an enemy's country, as 
yet unconquered, yet they passed on 
unharmed, the terror of God having 
fallen upon the cities round ; bout, as 
when Jacob some ages before had 
passed through this very region on 
his way to Bethel, Gen. '35. 5. The 
way of duty is the way of safety^ — 
The object of erecting the altar was 
to offer the sacrifices spoken of in the 
next verse. It was a federal trans- 
action in which they were now en- 
gaged. The covenant was now to be 



74 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 145L 



iron : and u they offered thereon 
burnt-offerings unto the Lord, 
and sacrificed peace-offerings. 

32 IT And x he wrote there 
upon the stones a copy of the 
law of Moses, which he wrote 
in the presence of the children 
of Israel. 

33 And all Israel, and their 
elders, and officers, and their 
judges, stood on this side the ark 
and on that side before the 
priests the Levites, ^which bare 
the ark of the covenant of the 

u Ex. 20. 24. x Deut. 27. 2, 8. y Deut. 31. 9, 25. 



renewed upon their taking posses- 
sion of the land of promise, and a for- 
mal profession made of their subjec- 
tion to the law, and of their depen- 
dance for success in all their enter- 
prises upon the blessing of the Most 
High. All this it was proper should 
be ratified by sacrificial offerings. 

31. Over which no man hath lift 
up any iron. Rather ' had lift up/ 
The writer does not intend to quote 
the precise words of the law, but 
merely to say that Joshua construc- 
ted an altar in accordance with the 
precept of Moses, Ex. 20. 25. Deut. 
27. 5. viz., one over which no man 
had lifted up an iron tool. 

32. Wrote there upon the stones. 
Uponcomparing this withtheinj unc- 
tion Deut. 27. 2 — 7. it appears quite 
obvious that in addition to the altar 
they were required also to erect a 
number of stone pillars, and that the 
writing was to be done upon the pil- 
lars, instead of upon the altar, for 
which purpose they were previously 
to be plastered over. IF A copy of the 
law. Heb. 'a repetition, a duplicate 
of the law.' That is, a copy of the 
blessings and curses commanded by 
Moses ; not a copy of the decalogue, 
as some imagine; nor of the book 
of Deuteronomy, as others think ; 
mucrfless of the whole Pentateuch; 
but simply that part of the law which 



Lord, as well z the stranger, as- 
he that was born among them ; 
half of them over against mount 
Gerizim, and half of them over 
against mount Ebal ; a as Moses 
the servant of the Lord had 
commanded before, that they 
should bless the people of Israel. 

34 And afterward b he read 
all the words of the law, c the 
blessings and cursings, accor- 
ding to all that is written in the 
book of the law. 

35 There was not a word of 



z Deut. 31. 12 
31. 11. Neh. 8. 3. 
& 30. 19. 



a Deut. 11. 29. & 27. 12. b Deut. 
c Deut. 28. 2, 15, 45. & 29. 20, 21. 



contained the blessings and curses, 
and which was to be read on this 
solemn occasion. See note on Deut. 
27. 8. 

33. Before the priests, the Levites. 
That is, in view of the priests, the 
Levites ; not that the elders, officers, 
and judges stood nearer the ark than 
the priests, but that they so surround- 
ed the ark that the priests who were 
carrying it had a full view of them. 
In like manner it might be said that 
a great crowd in a funeral were be- 
fore the bearers and pall-bearers, if 
they stood full in thei r view . M Over 
against mount Gerizim and over 
against mount Ebal. For an ac- 
count of these mountains see on 
Deut. 11. 29. The two divisions seem 
not to have stood upon the summit 
of the mountains, but were ranged 
along their base and some way up 
their sides, that they might be nearer 
the ark, which occupied the valley 

: between, and more conveniently hear 
; the reading of the law. IT That they 
! should bless the people. And curse 
■ also, though the last is not expressly 
I mentioned; it is however plainly to 
: be inferred, both from the original 
! command of Moses, Deut. 27. 13, and 

from the phraseology of the next 

verse. 

34. And afterward he read. That 
is, he commanded the priests, or Le- 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



7& 



all that Moses commanded 
which Joshua read not before 
all the congregation of Israel, 
d with the women, and the little 
ones, and e the strangers that 
were conversant among them. 

CHAPTER IX. 

A ND it came to pass, when all 

"^ t e kings which were on this 

side Jordan, in the hills, and in 

d Deut. 31. 12. e v. 33. 

vites to read, as is evident from Deut. 
27. 14. In innumerable instances in 
the Scriptures, a person is said to do 
that, which he orders or procures to 
be done. IT The words of the law. 
the blessings and cursings. All the 
sanctions "of the law, from which 
and from v. 35, it would seem that 
much more was read on this occasion 
than was written on the stones. 

35. With the women and little ones. 
It was a word that concerned all, and 
all of all sexes and ages were pre- 
sent, giving a solemn and heedful 
attention to what was read. Child- 
ren would be deeply impressed by 
the solemnities of the scene, and a 
salutary fear of offending God would 
sink into their tender hearts. IT The 
strangers that icere conversant among 
them. Heb. ' the strangers that walk- 
ed among them.' Proselytes. No 
other strangers can well be supposed 
to have been present at this time. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1. On this side Jord.an. The west 
side; where the children of Israel 
now were, and where the writer was 
at the time of penning this narrative. 
IT Heard thereof. That is, of the re- 
markable events which had transpir- 
ed since the Israelites had entered Ca- 
naan ; of the sacking of Jericho and 
Ai, and of their being now assembled 
together at mount Ebal. 

2. They gathered themselves to- 
gether to fight. Entered into a league, 
agreed to form a confederacy. It 
does not appear that they actually 



the valleys, and in all the coasts 
of a the great sea over against 
Lebanon, b the Hittite, and the 
Amorite, the Canaanite, the Per- 
izzite, the Hivite, and the Jebu- 
site heard thereof ; 

2 That they c gathered them- 
selves together, to fight with 
Joshua and with Israel, with one 
accord. 

3 IF And when the inhabit- 

a Num. 34. 6. b Ex. 3. 17. & 23. 23. c Ps. 83. 3, 5. 



united their forces at this time, but 
they now consulted together and 
agreed to do it. Subsequent events,, 
however, seem to have deranged 
their plans and prevented a combin- 
ed attack till some time afterwards. — 
In this conduct we see, as in a glass, 
the strange infatuation of the wick- 
ed ! Though seeing and feeling that 
the hand of God is unquestionably 
against them, yet, instead of repent- 
ing and humbling themselves before 
him, these devoted kings, who like 
Ahaz, ' in their distress trespassed 
yet more against the Lord/ madly 
seek by power and policy to counter- 
act and defeat his designs ! ' Thou 
hast stricken them, but they have not 
grieved; thou hast consumed them, 
but they have refused to receive cor- 
rection ; they have made their faces 
harder than a rock.' IT With one 
accord. Heb. \ with one mouth ;' ex- 
pressive of their entire unanimity in 
the measure. Though of different 
clans, having different interests, and 
doubtless heretofore often at variance 
with one another, yet they are ready 
to make common cause against the 
people of God, showing that the ha- 
tred of the righteous is one of the 
strongest bonds of union between 
wicked men. ' And the same day 
Pilate and Herod were made friends 
together ; for before they were at en- 
mity between themselves.' What an 
admonition to Christians to cease 
from dissension, to give up their 
petty feuds and animosities, to sacri- 
fice party interests to the public wel- 



76 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



ants of d Gibeon e heard what 
Joshua had done unto Jericho 
and to Ai, 

dCh. 10.2. 2 Sam. 21.1,2. e ch. 6. 27. 



fare, and cordially unite against the 
common enemies of God's kingdom 
among men. 

3. The inhabitants of Gibeon. Gi- 
beon was a city of the Hivites, pro- 
bably its capital. In the division of 
the land it fell to the tribe of Benja- 
min, and was situated on a hill about 
six miles north of Jerusalem. At the 
present time, a small village called 
Geeb, occupies the site of the ancient 
city. The inhabitants of this place 
declined entering into the alliance 
offensive and defensive above men- 
tioned. This might have been ow- 
ing to their form of government, 
which left more scope for the good 
sense of the people. Had they had 
a king, of which we nowhere read, 
he would probably have been induc- 
ed, in the pride of his heart, to join 
the confederacy; but this city with 
the three others mentioned ver. 17, 
seem to have been governed by elders 
or senators, v. 11, who consulted the 
common safety more than their own 
personal dignity. In this case of the 
Gibeonites, we may see a striking 
instance of the different effects pro- 
duced by the same tidings upon dif-^ 
ferent minds. The news of the vic- 
torious progress of Israel excites the 
several kings to resistance, but moves 
the Gibeonites to think of making 
peace with their invaders. In the 
same manner the Gospel message is 
a savor of life to some, and of death 
to others. Some it irritates and pro- 
vokes to deadly and self-destructive 
opposition, olhers it softens, melts, 
persuades to surrender, and brings to 
saving repentance. In such a differ- 
ence divine sovereignty must be ac- 
knowledged, though the obstinately 
impenitent are left without excuse. 
4. They did ivork wilily. Heb. 
{ they also did work wilily,' i. e. cun- 
ningly, shrewdly, craftily. The term 
'also,' which is omitted in our trans- 
lation but occurs in the original, 



4 They did work wilily, and 
went and made as if they had 
been ambassadors, and took old 



carries in it a reference to the course 
adopted by the Canaanitish kings. 
They adopted the measures which 
seemed to them the wisest and most 
politic, under the circumstances. In 
like manner the Gibeonites also de- 
termined to exercise their ingenuity 
in the present emergency, but they 
had recourse to a sukle stratagem, 
entirely different from the more open, 
straight forward, but ruinous course 
pursued by their neighbors. As to the 
moral character of this device of the 
Gibeonites, we can only say of it, as 
our Saviour said of the unjust stew- 
ard, ' they acted wisely in their gene- 
ration;' they did what the common 
maxims of mere worldly prudence 
dictated under the circumstances, and 
yet their fraud and prevarication can- 
not be justified, nor have we any rea- 
son to think they fared so well by em- 
ploying it, as they would have done 
without it. A more simple and up- 
right course would undoubtedly have 
secured to them far greater advan- 
tages. Some correct notions of the 
God of Israel they had certainly form- 
ed, v. 9, 10, and these should have 
prompted some other expedient than 
that of lying and deceit. They should 
have followed up the little light they 
had, and inquired into the procuring 
causes of God's severity against 
them. They should have acknow- 
ledged that it was their heinous sins 
which were at the bottom of all their 
troubles ; and having humbled them- 
selves in deep repentance, and trust- 
ing to providence for the issue, 
should have come to the Israelites, 
and simply submitted themselves 
without opposition or fraud, and 
there is every reason to believe they 
would have been spared, as Rahab 
and her relations had been. Lying 
and hypocrisy always defeat them- 
selves in the long run ; their success 
is only temporary, while truth and 
honesty will always ultimately re- 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



77 



sacks upon their asses, and 
wine-bottles, old, and rent, and 
bound up ; 

5 And old shoes and clouted 
upon their feet, and old garments 



dound to the safety, prosperity, and 
happiness of those who adhere to 
them. IT As if they had been ambassa- 
dors. The root of the original word 
•y^S, ambassador, properly denotes 
a hinge ; because an ambassador is a 
person upon whom the business of 
nis embassy turns as upon a hinge. 
So the Latin Cardinalis, cardinal, 
from Cardo, a hinge, was the title of 
the prime minister of the emperor 
Theodosius; but it is now applied 
only to the Pope's electors and coun- 
sellors, though the original reason 
probably holds with equal force here 
too. They are the hinges upon which 
the vast and complicated interests 
of the Papacy turn. IT Took old 
sa-cks — and wine bottles, old, &c. Pre- 
tending to have come from a very 
distant country, and that their sacks 
and the skins that served them 
for carrying their wine and water 
were worn out by the length of the 
journey. Sir John Chardin informs 
us, that the Arabs, and all those who 
lead a wandering life, keep their wa- 
ter, milk, and other liquors in leath- 
ern bottles. They keep more fresh 
in them, than in any other way. 
These leathern bottles are made of 
goat skins. When the animal is kill- 
ed they cut of its feet and its head, and 
then draw it out of the skin, which 
is thus left nearly whole. They 
afterwards sew up the places where 
the legs and the tail were cut off, 
and when it is filled they tie it about 
the neck. These nations and the 
country people of Persia never go 
a journey without a small leathern 
bottle of water hanging by their side 
like a scrip. These bottles are fre- 
quently rent, when old and much 
used ; but they are capable of being 
repaired. This they do sometimes 
by putting in a piece, sometimes by 
gathering up the wounded place in 



upon them ; and all the bread 
of their provision was dry and 
mouldy. 

6 And they went to Joshua 
f unto the camp at Gilgal, and 

f ' h. 5. 10. 

the manner of a purse ; sometimes 
they put in a round flat piece of 
wood, and by these means stop the 
hole. Similar bottles are still used 
in Spain, and are called borrachas. 
See Burdens Orient. Cust. vol. 1. 
p. 54. 

5. Old shoes and clouted. This 
latter epithet, in the time of Shak- 
speare, when applied to shoes, meant 
such as had nails driven into the 
soles to strengthen them. (Cymb. 
Act. IV. Sc. 2.) In this sense it may 
be derived from the French word 
clou, a nail. But this does not seem 
to correspond well with the original, 
which is a derivative from a root 
signifying to spot, to patch, to spot 
with patches. For this reason it is- 
supposed by Adam Clarke, with 
much plausibility, to come from the 
old Saxon clut, a clout, rag, or small 
piece of cloth, used for piecing or 
patching. This makes our present 
version to express very precisely the 
spirit of the original. As their shoes 
or sandals were made of skins in 
those early ages, it means that those 
they now wore were in a miserable 
tattered condition, having been often 
patched, pieced or mended. 

6. And to the men of Israel. Heb. 
* ifc^TE' 1 E3^& th e man or manhood of 
Israel;' collect, sing, forplur. Not 
to the whole body of the people, but 
to the heads, elders, or princes of the 
congregation, v. 15 — 21, who in all 
important matters acted in the name 
of the rest. In this sense, as a term 
of eminence or dignity, the original 
X*& ish, man, is often used. IT Make 
ye a league with us. Heb. ' cut a 
covenant with us;' on which see 
notes on Gen. 15. 10. The assertion 
that they came from a far country > 
is made as a reason for the Israelites 
complying w T ith their request. From 
v. 24 it appears that they were well 



78 



JOSHUA. 



TA. C. 1451. 



said unto him, and to the men of 
Israel, We be come from a far 
country: now therefore make 
ye a league with us. 

7 And the men of Israel said 
unto the sHivites, Peradventure 
ye dwell among us; and h how 
shall we make a league with 
you? 

8 And they said unto Joshua, 
*We are thy servants. And Josh- 
ua said unto them, Who are ye? 
:and from whence come ye ? 

9 And they said unto him, 



g Ch. 11. 19. 
Judg. 2. 2. 



h Ex. 23. 32. Deut. 7. 2. & 20. 16- 
i Deut. 20. 11. 2 Kings 10. 5. 



acquainted with the divine mandate 
in regard to the destruction of the 
devoted nations, and they may have 
heard of the exception mentioned 
Deut. 20. 15 in favor of the cities 
which were ' very far off, and which 
were not of the cities of these na- 
tions.' Of this exception they in- 
tended to take advantage. 

7. And the men of Israel. Heb. 
'and the man of Israel;' i. e. the el- 
ders or princes, as above. IT Said 
unto the Hivites. Heb. 'theHivite.' 
This is the first intimation of the 
particular nation to which the Gibe- 
onites belonged. In Josh. 11. 19 it is 
stated still more expressly. IT Per- 
adventure ye dwell among us. 1 Heb. 
' dwell in my midst.' They speak, 
in the confidence of faith, as if they 
were already actual possessors and 
occupants, old settled inhabitants, of 
the region which God had covenan- 
ted to give them. IT And how shall 
we make a league ivilh you ? Seeing 
God has expressly forbidden our 
forming any such alliance, Ex. 23. 
31— 31,— 34. 12. Deut. 7. 2. They 
speak as acting entirely according 
to orders, and as having no discre- 
tion in the case; and by putting 
their answer into the form of a ques- 
tion do virtually appeal to the con- 
sciences, the innate sense of right, 
of these heathen people, for the pro- 
priety of their conduct in refusing. 



k From a very far country thy 
servants are come, because of 
the name of the Lord thy God : 
for we have i heard the fame of 
him, and all that he did in 
Egypt, 

10 And m ali that he did to 
the two kings of the Amorites, 
that were beyond Jordan, to Si- 
hon king of Heshbon, and to Og 
king of Bashan, which was at 
Ashtaroth. 

11 Wherefore our elders, 
and all the inhabitants of our 



k Deut. 20. 15. 
m Num. 21. 24, 33. 



1 Ex. 15. 14. Josh. 2. 10. 



A contrary course even the Gibeon- 
ites themselves knew was not even 
to be thought of. Some duties are 
so obvious that we may unhesita- 
tingly take it for granted that the 
consciences of the worst of men do 
really side with us in regard to them. 

8. We are thy servants. We are 
willing to make any concessions ; do 
but grant our request, and we will 
submit to any terms you may see fit to 
propose. Fix your own conditions, 
even should they require us to be- 
come your tributaries and bond-men 
for life. IT Whoareyel and from 
whence come ye ? Probably this very 
intimation of such unconditional 
submission tended to excite the sus- 
picions of Joshua especially as they 
were so backward to name the coun- 
try from whence they came. 

9. Because of the name of the Lord 
thy God. Because of what we have 
heard of that name; because of the 
reverence with which it has inspired 
us ; and because we are convinced 
that it is above every name. They 
pretend to have been moved mainly 

! by religious motives in taking this 
| journey, which was in part doubtless 
! true, but it was truth mixed with 
both falsehood and hypocrisy. This 
pretence however was one well cal- 
culated to prevail with the Israelites, 
for those who are guileless them- 
selves are least suspicious of guile 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



79 



country spake to us, saying, 
Take victuals with you for the 
journey, and go to meet them, 
and say unto them, We are your 
servants : therefore now make 
ye a league with us : 

12 This our bread we took 
hot /or our provision out of our 
houses on the day we came forth 



in others, and nothing wins more 
upon the simple-heartedness of good 
men than the appearance of piety 
and devotion where it was little or 
not at all expected. IT All that he 
did in Egypt. They artfully con- 
fine themselves to the mention of 
events that happened a long time ago, 
avoiding any allusion to those of 
more recent occurrence, such as the 
dividing of Jordan and the destruc- 
tion of Jericho and Ai, as if willing 
to have it believed that they lived so 
far off that the tidings of them had 
not yet reached their ears. 

1 1 . Wherefore our elders, — spake to 
us. Another evidence that they did 
not live under a kingly but a popular 
form of government. IT Go to meet 
them. Had they deferred till the Is- 
raelites came to the gates of their 
cities, it would have been too late ; 
their yielding themselves up would 
have been of no avail. So the way 
to avoid a judgment is to meet it by 
repentance. Sinners should imitate 
the example of these Gibeonites, and 
while God, who is coming to make 
war against them, ' is yet a great way 
off, should send an ambassage and 
desire conditions of peace.' We have 
as clear evidence of God's determi- 
nation to destroy all the ungodly, as 
the Gibeonites had of his purpose to 
root out the Canaanites. Let us learn 
then of these heathens ; learn to come 
to Jesus ere it be too late. Let us not 
stay till besieged by sickness and 
death. Nor let us come covering our 
design with falsehoods, but confes- 
sing the whole truth. In the old and 
tattered garments of out native vile- 
ness we may come. Christ the true 
Joshua, will receive us and make 



to go unto you ; but now, be- 
hold, it is dry, and it is mouldy ; 

13 And these bottles of wine 
which we filled, were new, and 
behold they be rent : and these 
our garments and our shoes are 
become old by reason of the 
very long journey. 

14 And the men took of their 



with us a league of life and peace j 
but let us come saying at first as they 
did after their imposture was discov- 
ered; 'Behold, we are in thine hand: 
as it seemeth good and right unto 
thee to do unto us, do.' 

14. And the men took of their vict- 
uals. By the ' men ' are meant those 
who are elsewhere termed the prin- 
ces of the congregation, v. 18. 19. 
They took the victuals into their 
hands to satisfy themselves of the 
truth of their statement. Some sup- 
pose the meaning to be that thay ate 
together with the Gibeonites in token 
of friendship, as is still common in 
the East, but this is less likely, espe- 
cially as the words maybe rendered, 
'they received the men by reason of 
their victuals.' TT And asked not 
counsel at the mouth of the Lord. 
That is, instead of asking as they 
ought to have done at the lips of the 
high priest, whose duty it was to en- 
quire through the medium of the 
Urim and Thummim, Ex. 28. 30. 
Num. 27. 21. 1 Sam. 30. 7, 8. It is 
by no means certain, if they had 
sought the divine direction, that they 
would have been commanded to re- 
ject the suit of the Gibeonites and 
show them no mercy. The proba- 
bility is, that upon any of the devoted 
nations, voluntarily coming forward, 
professing repentance, renouncing 
idolatry, and embracing the true re- 
ligion, the Israelites would have been 
authorized by God to spare their lives. 
See on ch. 11. 19. But the circum- 
stance is mentioned here as a severe 
reflection upon the princes of Israel 
for neglect of duty, for rashness, cre- 
dulity, and impolicy. They rushed 
precipitately into an alliance which 



80 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



victuals, n and asked not counsel 
at the mouth of the Lord. 

15 And Joshua °made peace 
with them, and made a league 
with them, to let them live ; and 
the princes of the congregation 
sware unto them. 

n Num. 27 21. Is. 30. 1, 2. See Judg. 1. 1. I Sara. 
22. 10. & 23. 10, l!. & 30. 8. 2 Sam. 2. 1. & 5. 19. 
och 11. 19. '2 Sam. 21. 2. 



they had no right to form without the 
express sanction of Jehovah, and 
their ■ lips became a snare to their 
souls.' In like manner how often do 
men now involve themselves in dan- 
gers and difficulties, and hedge up 
their own way with troubles, because 
they ask not counsel at the mouth of 
the Lord. They listen with a yield- 
ing ear to plausible representations, 
hurry forward in their chosen 
schemes, and enter heedlessly into 
doubtful connections without weigh- 
ing the consequences. But sooner 
or later we shall find that no business 
or interest truly prospers in which 
we engage without the counsel and 
approbation of heaven, and with 
shame and sorrow shall seek to him 
to retrieve the evils which our rash- 
ness has procured. Let it then be 
engraven upon the tablets of our 
hearts, that no proposed course of con- 
duct can be so clear to a Christian as 
to excuse him from the duty of seeking 
direction from above. 

15. Joshua made peace with them, 
&c. Agreed to receive them into 
a friendly connection with the Isra- 
elites, and to respect their lives and 
property. It has been doubted by 
some whether the Israelites were 
bound by an oath that had been ob- 
tained from them by means of a gross 
imposition. But it is plain that they 
thought themselves solemnly bound 
by it, and were apprehensive that 
the wrath of God would fall upon 
them if they broke it. That they were 
right in this, and that their adherence 
to their oath was acceptable to God, 
is to be inferred. (1.) From his ex- 
pressing no displeasure at the time, 
and from the subsequent tenor of his 



16 IT And it came to pass at 
the end of three days after they 
had made a league with them, 
that they heard that they were 
their neighbors, and that they 
dwelt among them. 

17 And the children of Israel 



dealings towards them, which was 
kind, and favorable, not implying re- 
buke nor savoring of disapprobation. 
(2.) From the fact that he long after- 
wards severely avenged the wrong 
done by Saul to the Gibeonites in 
violation of this treaty. Let us learn 
from this the binding nature of an 
oath. It lays a bond upon the soul 
from which we cannot be released. 
Even when an oath has been taken 
which it is unlawful to keep, still we 
are not to consider that it is a light 
matter to dispense with it or that we 
stand in the sight of God just where 
we did before it was taken. We 
have in fact laid upon ourselves a 
load of obligation which he only can 
take off. It is he only who in view 
of our unfeigned repentance for hav- 
ing taken it can relieve the con- 
science of the awful burden which 
rests upon it. How much more then 
ought we to feel the force of those 
compacts and promises which are 
wholly lawful and right! How 
religiously and scrupulously should 
every promise be performed ! 

16. That they dwelt among them. 
Heb. ' dwelt in his midst/ collect, 
sing, the very thing which Joshua 
feared, and of which he hinted his 
suspicion, v. 7. ' They that suffer 
themselves to be deceived by the 
wiles of Satan, will soon be unde- 
ceived to their confusion, and will 
find that to be near, even at the door, 
which they imagined was very far 
off.' Henry. 

17. And the children of Israel jour- 
nied and came unto their cities, &c. 
This might better be rendered, ' For 
when the children of Israel journey- 
ed, they came unto their cities.* Ac- 






A. C. 1451.] 

journeyed, and came unto their 
cities on the third day. Now 
their cities were pGibeon, and 
Chephirah, and Beeroth, and 
Kirjath-jearim. 

18 And the children of Israel 
smote them not, ^because the 
princes of the congregation had 
sworn unto them by the Lord 
God of Israel. And all the con- 
gregation murmured against the 
princes. 

p ch. 18. 25,26, 28. Ezra 2. 25. q Eccles. 5. 2. 
Ps. 15. 4. 



CHAPTER IX. 



81 



cording to the present translation 
they learnt the fraud practised upon 
them some days before they arrived 
at their cities. The contrary suppo- 
sition seems the most probable, and 
we presume the 17th verse is in- 
tended to inform us how they became 
possessed of the information men- 
tioned in the 16th. 

18. The congregation murmured. 
Principally, no doubt, because they 
were deprived of the spoils of the 
Gibeonites. Though they did sub- 
mit to the restraints laid upon them 
by this league, yet it was with an ill 
grace ; they were vexed to have their 
hands thus tied by their rulers, and 
vented their disaffection in the most 
unequivocal manner. Some of them, 
however, might have honestly re- 
sented what they deemed a flagrant 
breach of the divine commandment. 
There is often, nay generally, more 
conscience and principle among the 
common mass of the people, than 
among those placed in authority over 
them, although this remark is not to 
be construed to the disparagement 
of Joshua, 

19. We have sworn unto them. 
They plead neither the lawfulness 
nor "the prudence of the oath, but 
only its obligation when taken. Al- 
though they had been deceived in the 
business, and the covenant had been 
made on a supposition which was 
afterwards proved to be false, yet 
■having sworn by Jehovah , they did 

8 



19 But all the princes said 
unto all the congregation, We 
have sworn unto them by the 
Lord God of Israel : now there- 
fore we may not touch them. 

20 This we will do to them ; 
we will even let them live, lest 
r wrath be upon us, because of 
the oath which we sware unto 
them. 

21 And the princes said unto 
them, Let them live; but let 



rSee 2 Sam. 21. 1, 2,6. 
Zcch. 5. 3. i. Mai. 3. 5. 



Ezek. 17. 13, 15, 18, 19. 



not feel at liberty to break their 
compact. It has been suggested that 
Joshua might have taken advantage 
of their own words to annul the 
treaty, and said to them; ' Ye are 
come, according to your own state- 
ment, from a far country ; but these 
cities are near at hand ; their inhab- 
itants therefore are not the people 
with whom we have covenanted, and 
ye have nothing to do to interfere 
with or prevent their destruction. 7 
But he would not resort to any shifts 
or quibbles to elude the oath. Like 
the good man of the Psalmist, though 
he had sworn to his own hurt, he 
would not change. Having made a 
solemn compact he would abide by it 
at all events. If he had now broken 
his covenant the whole people of Ca- 
naan would have represented him as 
a violator of his engagements ; it was 
therefore better to fulfil his agree- 
ment, however hasty and ill advi- 
sed, than by departing from it to give 
occasion to the enemies of God to 
blaspheme. His answer takes it for 
granted that the sentiments of the 
people accorded with his own as to 
the solemn obligations now resting 
upon them. IT May not touch them. 
May not hurt or injure them. For 
this sense of the word see Gen. 26. 
11. Ruth 2. 9. Job 1. 11. Ps. 105, 
15. Zech. 2. 8. 

21. And the princes said unto them. 
Rather ' said concerning them,' as 
the original for ' unto' often signi- 



82 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



them be "hewers of wood, and 
drawers of water unto all the 
congregation ; as the princes 
had ^promised them. 

22 1T And Joshua called for 
them, and he spake unto them 
saying, Wherefore have ye be- 
guiled us, saying, u We are very 



s Deut. 29. 11. 



t v. 15. ut. 6, 9. 



fies. See on Gen. 20. 2. IT Let 
them be hewers of wood and drawers 
of water unto all the congregation. 
Let them be taken at their own word, 
v. 8, and made public servants, to be 
employed in the most menial offices 
and drudgeries which the service of 
the sanctuary might require. The 
expression is proverbial for the low- 
est and most servile employments of 
whatever kind, Deut. 29. 11. IT Un- 
to all the congregation. To all the 
congregation considered as one 
great worshipping body, whose reli- 
gious rites were concentrated at one 
place, and not to all the several fam- 
ilies in their private capacity, as re- 
siding in their tents. They were to 
be made public and not private ser- 
vants. IT According as the princes 
had promised them. Rather, Heb. 
' had purposed, ordained, fixed upon 
concerning them;' that is in a previ- 
ous consultation. The whole verse, 
however, as it stands in the original 
is exceedingly intricate, and com- 
mentators are very much divided as 
to its true construction. It would 
seem from the next verse that noth- 
ing had as yet been said directly to 
the Gibeonites. 

22. Wherefore have ye beguiled us ? 
The mode of their treatment having 
been previously resolved upon in a 
council of the elders or princes of 
the nation, Joshua now summons 
them into his presence and acquaints 
them with the result. ' He does not 
load them with ill names, does not 
give them any harsh provoking lan- 
guage, does not call them, as they de- 
served to be called, base liars, but 
only asks them, ' Why have ye be- 
guiled us V Under the greatest pro- 



far from you ; when x ye dwell 
among us ? 

23 Now therefore ye are 
ycursed, and there shall none of 
you be freed from being bond- 
men, and z hewers of wood and 
drawers of water for the house 
of my God. 

x v. 16. y Gen. 9. 25. z t. 21, 27. 



vocations it is our wisdom and duty 
to keep our temper and to bridle our 
passion ; a just cause needs not an- 
ger to defend it, and a bad one is 
made never the better by it.' Henry. 
23. Now titer ef ore ye are cursed. 
Ye shall be subjected to a severe ca- 
lamity. Ye shall pay a bitter pen- 
alty for your deception. Ye shall 
subject yourselves and your children 
to the curse of a degrading bondage, 
and thereby shall the ancient denun- 
ciation against your ancestor be ful- 
filled; — 'Cursed be Canaan, a ser- 
vant of servants shall he be.' Had 
they dealt fairly and ingenuously 
with Israel their lives would no 
doubt have been spared on more fa- 
vorable and honorable terms. As it 
was, however, it cannot be doubted 
that their punishment was overruled 
and turned to a signal blessing to 
them. They were hereby brought 
into a situation where they would na- 
turally acquire the knowledge of the 
true God and of his revealed will, 
were made to dwell in the courts of 
the Lord's house, were honored with 
near access to him in the services of 
the sanctuary, and thus placed in cir- 
cumstances eminently favorable to 
their spiritual and eternal interests. 
If David could say, ' I had rather be 
a door-keeper in the house of my 
God, than to dwell in the tents of 
wickedness,' surely these poor be- 
nighted heathen may well have es- 
teemed their lot a blessing, hard and 
toilsome and humble as it was. They 
are supposed to have been afterwards 
called Nethinim, i. e. persons given, 
dedicated, consecrated to the service 
of the sanctuary and the assistance 
of the Levites. See v. 27. 1 Chron. 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



24 And they answered Josh- 
ua, and said, Because it was cer- 
tainly told thy servants, how 
that the Lord thy God com- 
manded his servant Moses to 
give you all the land, and to de- 
stroy all the inhabitants of the 
land from before you, therefore 
b we were sore afraid of our lives 
because of you, and have done 
this thing. 

a Ex. 23. 32. Deut 7. 1, 2. b Ex. 15. 14. 



25 And now, behold, we are 
c in thy hand : as it seemeth good 
and right unto thee to do unto 
us, do. 

26 And so did he unto them, 
and delivered them out of the 
hand of the children of Israel, 
that they slew them not. 

27 And Joshua made them 
that day d hewers of wood and 
drawers of water for the con- 

cGen- 16. 6. dr. 21,23. 



9. 2. IT There shall none of you be 
freed from being bondmen. Heb. 
1 there shall not be cut off from you a 
servant;' i. e. the line of servitude 
shall be kept up ; a sentence by which 
the bondage imposed upon them 
should be entailea upon their poster- 
ity. Mr. Harmer undertakes to 
shew from Shaw and other travel- 
lers, that these were the employ- 
ments of females in the East, and that 
consequently the bitterness of their 
doom consisted not so much in being 
subjected to a laborious service, as in 
being degraded from the character- 
istic employments of men to those of 
-women. There may be some force 
in this remark as applied to domes- 
tic civil life, but here the case is 
different ; it is certain that these me- 
nial services, if they had not been 
performed by the Gibeonites, would 
have devolved upon the Israelites, 
and that too upon the men and not the 
women of the congregation, for only 
males were employed about the sanc- 
tuary. IT For the house of my God. 
Spoken primarily of the tabernacle 
which was at that time the seat of 
worship, but with an ulterior refer- 
ence to the temple which should be 
afterwards erected. 

24. And thty answered, &c. The 
words in which they make reply are 
well weighed. It is a delicate and 
very cogent appeal to the human- 
ity and piety of Israel. They offer 
the best excuse for themselves which 
their conduct would admit. They 
attempt not to justify their prevarica* 



tion, but in effect beg pardon for it ; 
pleading that it was purely to save 
their lives that they had recourse to 
it. No one who feels the force of 
the law of self-preservation but must 
make great allowances for them, es- 
pecially as they were not prompted 
by the fear of man, but of God him- 
self, whom nothing can resist. 

25. We are in thine hand. In thy 
power, at thy disposal, having noth- 
ing more to say for ourselves. IT As it 
seemeth good and right unto thee — do. 
Whatever justice and mercy dictate 
to thee to do unto us, that perform. 
'They expect justice because they de- 
ceived the Israelites ; yet they hope 
for mercy because they were driven 
to this expedient for fear of losing 
their lives. This willing submis- 
sion of the Gibeonites may be impro- 
ved by us. They accounted it no 
great matter to cede their cities, and 
to spend their days in servitude, see- 
ing God had spared their lives. And 
shall we think much of sacrificing 
any temporal interests, or of perform- 
ing any self-denying duties, when we 
have reason to think that God has 
spared the life of our souls'? If we 
look for mercy at the hands of Jesus, 
all that we have and are must be the 
Lord's. We must be willing to be 
any thing and do any thing that he 
appoints for us. 

26. And so did he unto them. That 

is, he dealt with them according to 

justice and mercy ; he delivered them 

out of the hands of the people, who 

i would fain have slain them", and yet 



84 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



gregation and for the altar of 
the Lord, even unto this day 
e in the place which he should 
choose. 



he doomed them to servitude as a 
just retribution for their offence. 

27. And Joshua made them &c, 
Heb. tilt)** yittenam, gave them. 
whence the epithet D^ifi!) nethinim 
given, Lat. deditii or deodati, applied 
to them Ezra 2. 43, 58.-8. 20. Neh. 
3.26. See on v. 21. ^ In the place 
which he should choose. That is, the 
place which he should choose for his 
sanctuary, whether it were the taber- 
nacle or temple ; for here were their 
services more especially, though not 
exclusively, to be bestowed. They 
were not to keep possession of their 
cities, for we afterwards find that 
three of them fell to the lot of Benja- 
min, and one to that of Judah ; nor 
were they to be at their own disposal, 
but were most of them probably dis- 
persed through the cities of the 
priests and Levites, and came up 
with them in their courses to serve at 
the altar, out of the revenues of which 
they were doubtless maintained. 

CHAPTER X. 
1. Adoni-zedek. This name, sig- 
nifying lord of righteousness, is very 
nearly akin to that of Melchizedek 
king of righteousness, who reigned 
at the same place upwards of 400 
years before. He might have been 
a descendant as well as successor of 
this distinguished personage, or the 
name, in one form or the other, may 
have been common, like Pharaoh in 
Egypt, or Abimelech in Gerar, to the 
royal line. How the epithet righte- 
ous came to be connected with the 
title of the kings of this remarkable 
city it is not possible now to deter- 
mine. Viewed in connection with 
its subsequent history, it must be re- 
garded as not a little remarkable, 
though from the case of this individ- 
ual it does not appear to have been 
always a true index of the character 
of him who bore it. IT King of Je- 



CHAPTER X. 

1VTOW it came to pass, when 
■^ Adoni-zedek king of Jerusa- 
lem had heard how Joshua had 



rusalem. The name Jerusalem here 
occurs for the first time in the scrip- 
tures. The original designation of 
the city seems to have been Salem, 
Gen. 14. 18. Ps. 76. 2, as it was called 
in the time of Melchizedek, though 
whether he were its founder is alto- 
gether uncertain. It was afterwards 
called E->iiD"n^ yerushalayim, Jeru- 
salem, a name supposed to be com- 
pounded of la 1 ^ yi ru (fro m jifc**) to 
see) and tj^to shalam-, peace , and signi- 
fying^^ o/peace, or more literally, 
they shall see peace, in prophetic al- 
lusion to the gospel of peace which 
was afterwards to issue from thence. 
Reland, Schultens and others, it is 
true, derive it from jd'H'i yerush and 
E^EJ shalam, possession of peace, but 
we prefer the former, and are not un- 
willing to believe, with Masius, that 
the name carries in it a latent refer- 
ence to the incident mentioned, and 
the words employed Gen. 22. 14, 
' And Abraham called the name of 
that place Jehovah-jireh : as it is 
said to this day, In the mount of the 
Lord it shall be seen. 5 The Hebrew 
n&*P yireh or jireh seems to have 
been affixed to the ancient denomina- 
tion Salem, and thus to have formed 
the word Jerusalem, mystically point- 
ing to the vision of peace which Abra- 
ham saw in the future sacrifice that, 
was to be offered up in the latter day 
on that same memorable mount or in 
its immediate vicinity. Moriah, one 
of the mountains of Jerusalem, sig- 
nifying vision of God, is derived from 
the same root, and was probably so 
called for the same reason. After 
coming into the possession of the Jeb-. 
usites it was occasionally called Je- 
hus, Josh. 18. 28. Judg. 19. 10, 11. 
from the inhabitants, but it seems 
never to have been familiarly known 
by that appellation among the Israel- 
ites. It was doubtless overruled in 
providence that a name should bebe^ 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER X. 



85 



taken Ai, and had utterly de- 
stroyed it ; a as he had done to 
Jericho and her king, so he had 
done to b Ai and her king ; and 
c how the inhabitants of Gibeon 
had made peace with Israel, and 
were among them ; 

2 That they d feared greatly, 
because Gibeon was a great 
city, as one of the royal cities, 
and because it was greater than 
Ai, and all the men thereof were 
mighty. 

a Ch. 6. 21. b ch. 8. 22, 26, 28. c ch. 9. 15. d Ex. 
15. 14,15, 16. Deut. 11.25. F 

stowed on the place preintimating 
the nature of the glorious events by 
which it was afterwards to be distin- 
guished. IT Had utterly destroyed. 
Heb. ' had made a curse, had devo- 
ted.' IT Were among them. Had 
made alliance with them, had come 
over to their interest, had put them- 
selves under their protection, and so 
were entitled henceforth to dwell to- 
gether with them in the country with- 
out being exterminated or disturbed. 

2, That they feared greatly. He 
and his people ; from which it ap- 
pears that under the term ■ king ' in 
the preceding verse we are to under- 
stand also the people whom he rep- 
resented. IF As one of the royal 
cities. Heb. ' as one of the cities of 
the kingdom.' Not that it was actu- 
ally a royal city, the seat of a king, 
but it was like one, being a capital 
city and having others subordinate 
to it, ch. 9. 7. It was great, well in- 
habited, and well fortified, after the 
manner of those cities which served 
for royal residences. But they were 
undoubtedly a small but powerful re- 

Eublic, governed by elders, as we 
ear nothing here or elsewhere of 
their having a king. See on ch. 9.3. 

3. Wherefore Adoni-zedek sent. 
Because he was most exposed to dan- 
ger, Jerusalem being only six miles 
from Gibeon, and midway between 
that and the camp at Gilgal, and be- 
cause also he might have possessed 

6* 



3 Wherefore Adoni-zedek 
king of Jerusalem sent unto Ho- 
ham king of Hebron, and unto 
Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto 
Japhia king of Lachish, and unto 
Debir king of Eglon, saying, 

4 Come up unto me, and help 
me, that we may smite Gibeon : 
e for it hath made peace with Jo- 
shua and with the children of Is- 
rael. 

5 Therefore the five kings of 
the Amorites, the king of Jeru- 



some degree of precedency over the 
other kings mentioned. 

4. That we may smile Gibeon. 
That is, the Gibeonites. It is very 
conceivable that Adoni-zedek and 
his associates may have been glad of 
a plausible pretext for attacking the 
Gibeonites, as their more liberal form 
of government was a standing rebuke 
of the despotism thatprevailedamong 
themselves. But their avoioed mo- 
tive undoubtedly was to punish the 
citizens of Gibeon for making peace 
with Joshua, as if they had thereby 
acted the part of traitors to the coun- 
try and greatly strengthened the com- 
mon enemy. In this incident we see 
what usually takes place when any 
of the enemies of Christ submit them- 
selves to him. Their former friends 
and companions consider them as de- 
serters from their standard, and are 
often bitterly exasperated against 
them. ' He that departeth from evil 
maketh himself a prey. J Or if their 
opposition does not amount to actual 
enmity, it will at least show itself in 
a way of contempt and ridicule. Sa- 
tan too is indignant at losing one of 
his vassals ; and not only stimulates 
his subjects to commence hostilities 
against them, but labors by all possi- 
ble wiles and devices to bring them 
back again to their former bondage. 
There is the same enmity existing 
against the cause of Christ now as 
ever. Earth and heH; wilt still eonv* 



86 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451- 



salem, the king of Hebron, the 
king of Jarmuth, the king of 
Lachish, the king of Eglon, 
f gathered themselves together, 
and went up, they and all their 
hosts, and encamped before Gib- 
eon, and made war against it. 

6 IF And the men of Gibeon 
sent unto Joshua «to the camp 

f Ch. 9. 2. g ch. 5. 10. & 9. 6. 

bine against his church, and every- 
one that enters into covenant with 
him will like the Gibeonites, have a 
powerful confederacy to contend 
with. 

5. The jive kings of the Amorites. 
The name of this people is often ta- 
ken in a large sense for that of the 
Canaanites generally, or any one of 
them, doubtless from their being the 
most powerful of the distinct tribes 
that inhabited the country. Strictly 
speaking the people of Hebron were 
Hittites, ch. 11. 19 and those of Jeru- 
salem, Jebusites, ch. 15. 63 ; and in 
one place, 2 Sam. 21. 2, the Gibeon- 
ites themselves though generally 
termed Hivites, are said to be ' of the 
remnant of the Amorites. 5 The prob- 
ability is, that the Amorites, being a 
numerous and powerful people in 
the Moabitish territory sent out col- 
onies to these several places, which 
having subdued the original inhab- 
itants communicated their own name 
very extensively over the country. 
IT Made war against it. Pat them- 
selves in a warlike attitude, made 
ready for an assault, were on the eve 
of attacking them. 

6. Sent unto Joshua. They trusted 
to the compassion, the nobleness, 
the generosity, if not the justice of 
their new ally. They doubted not 
that he would consider himself 
bound in honor and conscience to 
succor and defend them, although 
it may not have been expressly stip- 
ulated for in the articles of the treaty. 
It was because of their confidence in 
Israel and their having thrown them- 
selves entirely upon their protection 
that they were now marked out as 



to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy 
hand from thy servants come up 
to us quickly ; and save us, and 
help us : for all the kings of the 
Amorites that dwell in the moun- 
tains are gathered together 
against us. 

7 So Joshua ascended from 
Gilgal, he, and h all the people 



objects of the vengeance of their en- 
emies, and to whom should they go 
in their extremity but to these their 
natural defenders'? So when the 
powers of darkness, like mighty Am- 
orites, assail the children of God, to 
whom shall they betake themselves 
but to Christ, their true Joshua'? It 
is when we are encompassed with 
evils that we feel the value of that 
covenant into which we have entered 
with him. If we attempt to resist 
our enemies in our own strength, we 
shall infallibly be vanquished ; but 
if we betake ourselves to the Captain 
of our salvation by fervent prayer, 
we cannot but succeed. TT Slack 
not thy hand from thy servants. Do 
not leave them to the fate which 
threatens them, put forth vigorous ef- 
forts for their deliverance, relax not 
the hold which thou hast by covenant 
taken of them. See on ch. 1. 5. 
IT That dwell in the mountains. 
Heb. ' dwellers or inhabitants of the 
mountain;' i.e. of the mountainous 
regions. The allusion is to the tract 
lying to the southwest of Jerusalem 
called 'the hill country/ Luke 1. 39, 
65, in which were situated the four 
cities mentioned above, v. 3. 

7. And, all the mighty men of valor. 
Rather, ' even all the mighty men of 
valor;' so the particle translated 
c and ' is used in thousands of instan- 
ces, and it is not easy to suppose that 
' all the people of war,' and ' all the 
mighty men of valor' constituted two 
separate portions of the host. The 
meaning is simply that he went up 
with an army of picked men, men of 
approved valor, and tried skill, to de- 
fend the Gibeonites, their new allies, 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER X. 



87 



of war with him, and all the 
mighty men of valor. 

8 1F And the Lord said unto 
Joshua, iFear them not: for I 
have delivered them into thy 
hand ; k there shall not a man 
of them stand before thee. 

9 Joshua therefore came un- 

i Ch. 11. 6. Judg. 4. 14. k ch. 1. 5. 



against their invaders. A sufficient 
force would of course be left to guard 
the camp at Gilgal. Instead of 
taking any advantage of the mere let- 
ter of their compact, and saying that 
they never promised to run the haz- 
ard of their own lives to save theirs, 
he nobly acts on its spirit, and re- 
solves that they shall be no losers by 
the confidence they have reposed in 
him; that they shall not suffer by 
any calamity which he can avert. 
1 To a good mind the strongest obli- 
gation is another's trust ; and even 
permission in those things we may 
remedy, makes us no less actors, 
than consent. We are guilty of all 
the evil we might have hindered.' 
Bp. Hall. 

8. And the Lord said unto Joshua. 
More correctly ' for the Lord had 
said;' as we cannot suppose that Josh- 
ua undertook this expedition before 
he had sought counsel of God, and 
received the encouragement con- 
tained in the ensuing words. With- 
out some such encouragement as 
this, Joshua might have thought that 
this formidable host was sent against 
him and his new allies as a judgment 
upon him for negotiating an unlawful 
treaty. The verse properly falls into 
a parenthesis. ^ I have delivered 
them into thy hand. The usual form 
of speech to express the absolute cer- 
tainty of a future event. 

9. Went up from Gilgal all night. 
The distance from Gilgal to Gibeon 
was about twenty-six miles. By a 
forced march this distance might 
have been accomplished in one night ; 
but the words do not necessarily re- 
strict us to this period of time. They 



to them suddenly, and went up 
from Gilgal all night. 

10 And the Lord idiscom- 
fited them before Israel, and 
slew them with a great slaugh- 
ter at Gibeon, and chased them 
along the way that goeth up 
m to Beth-horon, and smote them 

1 Judg. 4. 15. 1 Sam 7. 10, 12. Ps. 18. 14. Is. 28. 
21. m ch. 16. 3, 5. 



imply only that he travelled all night, 
to which, if we please, we may add, 
part of the preceding or of the follow- 
ing day. The clause quoted reads 
somewhat awkwardly as it now 
stands, from its seeming to put the 
march after the arrival. By omit- 
ting the word ' and ' which does not 
occur in the original, and inclosing 
the remainder in a parenthesis, ( c he 
had gone up from Gilgal all night,') 
every thing is made plain. Though 
he had received the positive assu- 
rance of a victory, yet he neglects 
no prudent means of effecting it, and 
therefore adopting a military strata- 
gem, comes upon them by surprize. 

1 God's promises are not intended to 
slacken or supersede, but to quicken 
and encourage our own endeavors.' 
Henry. 

10. The Lord discomfited them. 
Or, Heb. ' struck with dismay, con- 
founded.' It is the word employed 
Ex. 23. 27 in describing the effect 
that should be produced by divine 
power upon the enemies of Israel, 
though there renderedless accurately 
' destroy.' It occurs also Ps. 144. 6. 

2 Chron. 15. 6. TT And slew them 
with a great slaughter. Or, 'he slew 
them,' i. e. Israel slew them. In con- 
sequence of the panic into which the 
Lord had thrown them, his people 
were enabled to effect a great slaugh- 
ter. The direct work of God on the 
occasion appears to be described, 
v. 11. IT At Gibeon. Heb. { in 
Gibeon ;' not in the city, but in the 
adjoining territory or domain called 
by the same name, as Joshua is said, 
ch. 5. 13, to be in Jericho, when he 
was merely in the immediate vicin- 



88 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



to n Azekah, and unto Mak- 
kedah. 

11 And it came to pass as 
they fled from before Israel, arid- 



ity. IT Beth-horon. The tribe of 
Ephraim contained two places of this 
name, the upper and lower. The 
latter is here probably referred to, 
which lay twelve or fifteen miles to 
the northwest of Jerusalem, and 
where Dr. Clarke says there is now 
an Arab village called Bethoor. 
IT Azekah. A city of Judab , situated 
about twelve miles west from Jeru- 
salem. Eusebius and Je rome inform 
us that there was a town in their time 
about this place named Ezeca, which 
was probably the same with the an- 
cient Azekah here mentioned. IF 
Makkedah. This place was also in 
the tribe of Judah, about fourteen 
miles southwest of Jerusalem. 

11. The Lord cast down great stones 
from heaven upon them. That is, hail- 
stones of an extraordinary size, and 
capable of doing dreadful execution 
in their fall from heaven. Some 
have indeed contended that stones, in 
the common acceptation of the word, 
or rather meteoric stones, are inten- 
ded, and that such stones have 
actually fallen from the clouds or 
from a greater height is an incontes- 
table fact. But there is no good rea- 
son to suppose that any such pheno- 
menon is alluded to here, for it is im- 
mediately added, as if to preclude any 
ground of mistake, that ' they were 
more which died with hailstones than 
they whom the children of Israel slew 
with the sword.' The Sept. in 
both places translates it by \i6oq x a M~ 
£r?? hailstones ; Josephus calls it * a 
violent tempest of hailstones of pro- 
digious size;' and the author of 
Ecclesiasticus, ch. 46. 6, thus speaks 
of the event : ' With hailstones of 
mighty power he made the battle to 
fall violently upon the nations, and 
in the descent of Bethhoron he de- 
stroyed them that resisted.' That 
God has, on other occasions, made 
use of hailstones to destroy both men I 



were in the going down to Beth- 
horon, °that the Lord cast down 
great stones from heaven upon 
them unto Azekah, and they 

o Ps. 18. 13, 14. &77. 17. Js 30. 30. Rev. 16. 21. 

and cattle, is clear from the instance 
of the plague of hail in Egypt Ex. 9. 
18, and in the predictions of Ezekiel 
against Gog, ch. 33. 22, the Most 
High is introduced as threatening 
that "he would plead against him 
with pestilence, and with blood, with 
an overflowing rain, and great hail- 
stones, fire and brimstone." God him- 
self, moreover, speaks to Job, ch. 38. 
22, 23 of treasures or magazines of 
snow and hail, which he has reserv- 
ed for the day of battle and war. But 
although we have no doubt that a 
shower of hailstones is here intend- 
ed, yet we are equally convinced 
that this shower, though natural in 
itself, was sniper naturally employed 
on this occasion. They probably 
far exceeded the usual size, and it 
certainly indicates a miraculous in- 
terposition of Providence that they 
should have fallen at the very crisis 
when God promised to assist his peo- 
ple against their enemies, and that 
while in falling they slew multitudes 
of the fugitive Canaanites, they 
should not have harmed one of their 
pursuers! The following account 
of a similar phenomenon happening 
in our own times is graphically de- 
scribed by one of our own country- 
men, who was something more than 
an eye witness of its effects. The 
letter is dated Constantinople, Aug. 
1831. H We had got perhaps a mile 
and a half on our way, when a 
cloud rising in the west, gave indi- 
cations of an approaching rain. In 
a few minutes we discovered some- 
thing falling from the heavens with 
a heavy splash, and of a whitish ap- 
pearance. I could not conceive what 
it was, but observing some gulls near, 
I supposed it to be them darting for 
fish ; but soon after discovered that 
they were large balls of ice falling. 
Immediately we heard a sound like 
rumbling thunder, or ten thousand 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER X. 



89 



died : they were more which died 
with hail-stones than they whom 

carriages rolling furiously over the 
pavement. The whole Bosphorus 
was in a foam, as though heaven's 
artillery had been discharged upon 
us and our frail machine. Our fate 
seemed inevitable, our umbrellas 
were raised to protect us ; the lumps 
of ice stripped them into ribands. 
We fortunately had a bullocks hide 
in the boat, under which we crawled 
and saved ourselves from farther in- 
jury. One man, of the three oars- 
men, had his hand literally smashed ; 
another much injured in the shoul- 
der; Mr. H. received a severe blow 
in the leg; my right hand was some- 
what disabled, and all more or less 
injured. A smaller kaick accom- 
panied with my two servants. They 
were both disabled, and are now in 
bed with their wounds ; the kaick 
was terribly bruised. It was the 
most awful and terrific scene that I 
ever witnessed, and God forbid that 
I should be ever exposed to such an- 
other. Balls of ice, as large as my 
two fists, fell into the boat, and some 
of them came with such violence as 
certainly to have broken an arm or 
leg had they struck us in those parts. 
One of them struck the blade of an 
oar and split it. The scene lasted, 
perhaps, five minutes; but it was five 
minutes of the most awful feeling 
that I ever experienced. When it 
passed over, we found the surround- 
ing hills covered with masses of ice, 
I cannot call it hail ; the trees stripped 
of their leaves and limbs, and every 
thing looking desolate. We pro- 
ceeded on our course, however, and 
arrived at our destination, drenched 
and awe-struck. The ruin had not 
extended so far as Candalie, and it 
was difficult to make them compre- 
hend the cause of the nervous and 
agitated condition in which we ar- 
rived ; the Reis Effendi asked me if 
I was ever so agitated when in ac- 
tion 1 I answered no, for then I had 
something to excite me, and human 
means only to oppose. He asked the 
minister if he ever was so affected 



the children of Israel slew with 
the sword. 



in a gale of wind at sea? He an- 
swered no, for then he could exer- 
cise his skill to disarm or render 
harmless the elements. He asked 
him why he should be affected nowl 
He replied, ' From the awful idea of 
being crushed to death by the hand 
of God with stones from heaven, 
when resistance would be vain, and 
where it would be impious to be 
brave.' He clasped his hands, raised 
his eyes to heaven, and exclaimed, 
' God is great !' Up to this hour, 
late in the afternoon, I have not re- 
covered my composure ; my nerves 
are so affected as scarcely to be able 
to hold my pen, or communicate my 
ideas. The scene was awful beyond 
all description. I have witnessed" re- 
peated earthquakes; the lightning* 
has played, as it were, about my 
head; the wind roared, and the 
waves have at one moment thrown, 
me to the sky, and the next have sunk 
me into a deep abyss. I have been 
in action, and seendeath and destruc- 
tion around me in every shape of 
horror ; but I never before had the 
feeling of awe w r hich seized upon me 
on this occasion, and still haunts, and 
I feel will ever haunt me. I return- 
ed to the beautiful village of Buyue- 
dere. The sun was out in all its 
splendor,, at a distance all looked 
smiling and charming, but a nearer 
approach discovered roofs covered 
with workmen repairing the broken 
tiles, desolated vineyards,, and shat- 
tered windows. My porter, the bold- 
est of my family, w ; ho had ventured 
an instant from the door, had been 
knocked dowm by a hailstone, and had 
they not dragged him in by the heels, 
would have been battered to death. 
Of a flock of geese in front of our 
house, six were killed, and the rest 
dreadfully mangled. Two boatmen 
were killed in the upper part of the 
village, and I have heard of broken 
bones in abundance. Many of the 
thick brick tiles, with w T hich my roof 
is covered, are smashed to atoms, 
and my house was inundated by the 



90 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



12 1T Then spake Joshua to 
the Lord in the day when the 

rain that succeeded this visitation. It 
is impossible to convey an idea of 
what it was. Imagine to yourself, 
however/the heavens suddenly froze 
over, and as suddenly broken to 
pieces in irregular masses, of from 
half a pound to a pound weight i and 
precipitated to the earth. My own 
servants weighed several pieces of 
three quarters of a pound ; and ma- 
ny were found by others of upwards 
of a pound. There were many which 
fell around the boat in which I was, 
that appeared to me to be as large as 
the swell of a large sized water de- 
canter. You may think this ro- 
mance. I refer to the bearer of this 
letter, who was with me, and witnes- 
sed the scene, for the truth of every 
word it contains." Com. Porter's 
Letters from Constantinople and its 
Environs ; Vol. 1. p. 44. 

12. Then spake Joshua to the Lord. 
That is, before, in the presence of, 
having a reference to. There is no- 
thing said of a direct address to Je- 
hovah, though we cannot doubt that 
such an one was made on the occasion, 
lny tb° address here mentioned was 
to* the sun and moon. The phrase- 
ology in the original is not that 
which is usually employed to intim- 
ate a direct addressw nether in prayer 
or otherwise from one person to an- 
other. Instead of }-nn^ ^ to Jehovah, 
it is mn^b properly importing before 
Jehovah or in reference to him. It is 
a similar mode of expression to that 
employed by Paul, 1 Cor. 14. 2, { He 
that speakethin an unknown tongue 
speaketh not unto men but unto God; 1 
i. e. not directly to God but so that 
God understands him, God takes cog- 
nizance of what he says. 2 Cor. 5. 13, 
1 For whether we be beside ourselves 
it is to God 1 i. e. in reference to God, 
he is the ultimate object of it. So 
here Joshua's speaking was not 
directly to God, but there was a uni- 
son between his spirit and the spirit 
of God in his speaking and he had 
all along ^believing reference to God, 
See on v. 14. Seeing the day far 



Lord delivered up the Amor- 
ites before the children of Is. 



spent, Joshua feared that he might 
not have time to complete the victo- 
ry which he had so auspiciously be- 
gun, and being suddenly prompted 
from above, and inspired with divine 
confidence, he commanded, in the 
name of Jehovah, the occurrence of 
a stupendous miracle in order to pro- 
long the day till the destruction of 
his enemies was completely effect- 
ed ! IT He said in the sight of Israel, 
Sun, stand thou still, &c. Or, Heb. 
1 he said, In the sight of Israel, Sun, 
be thou silent in Gibeon.' The verb 
in the original, generally rendered 
cease, rest, be still, keep silence, pro- 
perly implies cessation from action 
or noise, rather than from motion, 
and is perhaps most frequently used 
metaphorically to signify a silent 
submissive frame of spirit , a subdued, 
patient, expectant attitude of soul, 
like that of the Psalmist when he 
says, Ps. 62. 1, using this very word, 
( Truly my soul waiteth upon (HeK 
is silent to) God.' See also Sam. 14. 
9. Ps. 4. 4.-37. 7. Is. 23. 2. It is. 
usually spoken of a» intelligent, 
agent, and as the import of the Heb. 
word for sun, is servant or minister, 
it is used with great propriety here 
as expressive of the command of a 
master to a servant to pause, to rest y 
in his routine of service, and to as- 
sume a still, quiet, patient posture 
indicative of the most entire subjec- 
tion, and as if waiting for further or- 
ders. Such is the genuine force of 
the original, which cannot perhaps 
be fully expressed in any version. — 
The phrase c in Gibeon' means in thir 
connection over Gibeon, implying^ 
that Joshua looked off to a distance 
and saw the sun apparently standings 
over the city or cities of Gibeon.-^- 
As to the nature of the miracle itself, 
on which much has been written, it 
may be remarked, (1) That the scrip- 
tures generally speak in popular and 
not in scientific language ; that they 
describe the things of the natural 
world, not according to strict philo^ 
sophic truth, but according to? ap^ 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER X. 



91 



rael, and he said in the sight 
of Israel, pSun, stand thou still 



p Is. 28. 21. 



upon Gibeon, and thou Moon, in 
the valley of ^ Ajalon. 



q Judg. 12. 12. 



pearance and common apprehension. 
Thus they speak of the sun's rising 
and setting, of the ends of the earth, 
of passing from one end of heaven to 
another, &c. Indeed, it was only in 
this way that Joshua could have 
conveyed any clear idea to the peo- 
ple of what he intended to express 
by the command. Had he uttered 
the words, ' Earth, stand thou still 
upon thine axis;' they would have 
thought him absolutely distracted. 
He spake therefore in the common 
popular style adopted by philosophers 
themselves in ordinary discourse, 
and every one can see that this was 
obviously the proper mode. Nor can 
any one object to this diction in the 
sacred writers without virtually en- 
tering his protest against the every 
day language of all enlightened 
countries on the earth. Whether, 
therefore, the sun or the globe be 
supposed to have been arrested in 
its career on this occasion, is imma- 
terial to the truth of the narrative, 
as the appearance, in each case, 
would be the same, and it is the 
appearance and not the reality, 
which is described. (2) Of the 
precise mode in which the miracle 
took place, two solutions may be 
given, though it must necessarily 
ever be impossible to determine posi- 
tively which of them is the true one. 
The effect may have been owing to 
the actual cessation of the earth's mo- 
tion round the sun. This, however, 
without an equally miraculous in- 
terference of the Almighty would 
have produced the most tremendous 
effects not only upon the globe itself, 
but perhaps upon the entire solar sys- 
tem and the equilibrium of the whole 
material universe. The natural con- 
sequence of such a sudden check in 
the course of the earth would have 
been, by means of the atmosphere, 
to crush at once all animal and ve- 
getable existence, to level with the 
ground the most lofty and massive 
structures, and in fact to sweep the 



whole surface of the globe as with 
the besom of destruction. Yet the 
same power which was competent to 
stay the globe in its diurnal revolu- 
tion, was equally competent to guard 
against any destructive consequen- 
ces arising from it, and the miracle 
may have been wrought in the way 
now described. But the more pro- 
bable explanation in our opinion is, 
that the phenomenon related was 
merely optical ; that the rotatory 
motion of the earth was not disturb- 
ed; but that instead of this the light 
of the sun and moon was supernatu- 
rally prolonged by the operation of 
the same laws of refraction and re- 
flection that ordinarily cause the sun 
to appear above the horizon when he 
is in reality below it. He who creat- 
ed the heavenly luminaries and es- 
tablished the laws which regulate 
the transmission of light, may at this 
time have so influenced the medium 
through which the sun's rays passed, 
as to render the sun's disk still visi- 
ble long after the time when in or- 
dinary circumstances it would have 
disappeared. This would of course 
have had all the visible effect of ac- 
tually bringing the earth to a pause 
in its revolution round its axis, and 
as this answers all the demands of 
the text, we are not solicitous to seek 
any more satisfactory solution of the 
difficulty. IF Thou moon in the valley 
of Ajalon. That is over the valley 
of Ajalon. A city of Benjamin in 
the near neighborhood of Gibeon, so 
near in fact, that what is here termed 
the valley of Ajalon seems in Is. 28. 
24, in allusion to this event to be call- 
ed the valley of Gibeon. Junius and 
Temellius, for the most part extreme- 
ly judicious commentators, under- 
stand the import of the command to 
be, that the sun should stay itself 
from setting over Gibeon and the 
moon from rising or advancing over 
Ajalon, because the appearance of 
the moon is the signal for the coming 
on of night, which Joshua would ^ w 



92 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451, 



13 And the sun stood still, 
and the moon stayed, until the 
people had avenged themselves 
upon their enemies. r Is not 
this written in the book of Jash- 



r 2 Sam. I. 18. 



have to be delayed. Certain it is, 
that the light of the moon, even when 
seen, is of very little service while 
the sun is above the horizon, and as 
we suppose the sun itself to have 
been at this time near the horizon 
we take this command to the moon 
to be introduced merely as a poetic 
ornament to make out the paralle- 
lism so common to the poetical style 
of the Hebrews. It is in fact doubt- 
ful whether the whole passage be not 
a quotation from the book of Jasher 
mentioned below, and whether that 
book were not a collection of nation- 
al songs or lyric poems composed in 
praise of Joshua and other distin- 
guished heroes and champions of 
Israel. 

13. Written iu the book of Jasher. 
Or, Heb. ' the book of the upright;' 
i. e. perhaps, of eminently good and 
upright men, men distinguished at 
once for moral worth and military 
prowess. As this book is generally 
supposed to have long since perished, 
though affirmed by some of the Jews 
to be still in existence, it is impossi- 
ble to determine with certainty what 
it was. Mention of it occurs again 
2 Sam. 1. 18, where David's lamen- 
tation over Saul is said to be extract- 
ed from it. It was probably a col- 
lection of poems, or national ballads 
celebrating the chief events of the 
wars of Israel and the praises of their 
most distinguished heroes. M In 
the midst of heaven. Heb. c in the di- 
vision, or the half of the heavens ;' 
i. e. above the horizon, where the up- 
per is divided from the lower hemi- 
sphere of heaven. Some have sup- 
posed it to mean the same as ' in the 
meridian of heaven,' but at that hour 
of the day how could the moon be 
visible, or how did Joshua know but 
lie should have ample time, before 
sunset, to complete the victory 1 The 



er ? So the sun stood still in the 
midst of heaven, and hasted not 
to go down about a whole day. 
14 And there was s no day 
like that before it or after it, 



s See Is. 38. 8. 



other view is, therefore, we think, 
to be preferred. H Hasted not to 
go down about a 'whole day. Heb, 
' hasted not to go down fiifrn fc"p^ 
as at the perfect day : i. e. as it nat- 
urally does when the day is finished, 
when the ordinary space of a day 
has elapsed. This we conceive to be 
the true force of the original, though 
aware that it requires one to be ac- 
quainted with the Hebrew in order 
to feel the force of the evidence in 
favor of such a rendering. Such a 
one, however, upon turning to the 
original of Ex. 31. 18. Deut. 16. 6. 
—24. 13. Ps. 73. 19, will find, if we 
mistake not, ample proof of the cor- 
rectness of this interpretation. The 
meaning, as we understand it, is not, 
that the day was miraculously length- 
ened out to the extent of twelve hours, 
or another whole day, but simply that 
when the ordinary duration of a day 
was completed, the sun still delayed 
his setting, but for how long a time 
we are not informed : long enough, 
however, we may presume, for fully 
accomplishing the objects for which 
the miracle was granted. 

14. That the Lord hearkened unto* 
the voice of a man. That is, for 
such a purpose. Not that this was 
the first time that the prayers of a 
mortal had power with God, for those 
of Moses had often prevailed with 
him, but he had never before heark- 
ened to the voice of man to alter so 
signally the course of nature, or to 
grant such an illustrious display of 
his power in behalf of his people. 
The passage imports that the com- 
mand of Joshua was in effect, though 
not in form, a prayer to Jehovah for 
the performance of the miracle. In 
like manner that which seems to 
have been uttered by Elijah, 1 Kings 
17. 1, as a. prophecy, is spoken of by 
James ch. 5. 17. as a prayer. Prob- 



A. C. 1451.] CHAPTER X. 

that the Lord hearkened unto 
the voice of a man : for Uhe 
Lord fought for Israel. 

15 1F u And Joshua returned, 
and all Israel with him, unto the 
camp to Gilgal. 

16 But these five kings fled, 
and hid themselves in a cave at 
Makkedah. 

t DeuL 1. 30. v 42 & ch. 23. 3. u v. 43. 



ably no miracles were brought by the 
ancient prophets or servants of God 
but in connection with the most fer- 
vent ' in-wrought' prayer. It is on- 
ly by earnest prayer that we take 
hold of the strength of God. IF 
For the Lord fought for Israel. This 
seems to be added as if in answer to 
the natural inquiry ;' Why was 
such a miracle wrought on this occa- 
sion 7 To what was it owing that 
Israel was so favored'?' Because, 
says the writer, the Lord fought for 
them. He was engaged on their 
side ; and it was in consequence of 
his purpose and his promise to be- 
friend them v. 8, 12, that he gra- 
ciously heard the prayer of Joshua. 
15. And Joshua returned to Gilgal. 
The occurrence of this verse in this 
place has occasioned great perplex- 
ity to commentators. As it is verba- 
tim the same as the last verse of this 
chapter, and is wanting in some of the 
ancient versions, many have thought 
that it was inserted here by the 
error of some transcriber, and that 
the only way to obtain a correct view 
of the thread of the narrative is to 
neglect it altogether. It cannot, it 
is said, be supposed that Joshua 
should have broken off in the mid- 
career of his victory and just after 
the above mentioned miracle, march- 
ed his army twenty or thirty miles to 
Gilgal, and then have immediately re- 
turned again to the scene of action 
to complete the work of conquest. 
What could be the object of such a 
strange diversion of his forces at 
such a crisis 1 But we are inclined 
to consider it as inserted here mere- 
9 



93 

17 And it was told Joshua, 
saying, The five kings are found 
hid in a cave at Makkedah. 

18 And Joshua said, Roll 
great stones upon the mouth of 
the cave, and set men by it for 
to keep them : 

19 And stay ye not, but pur- 
sue after your enemies, and 



ly by anticipation. The writer's 
drill; is apparently to close the gen- 
eral account of the engagement de- 
scribed above by saying that when it 
was ended Joshua and the Israelites 
returned to the camp ; not however 
that this took place immediately ; 
there were some additional incidents 
that occurred prior to that return, 
which were too important to be over- 
looked in the history, and which he 
here takes occasion to relate. This 
he does in the ensuing verses v. 
16 — 4*2, after which he inserts again, 
in its proper place, the account of 
Joshua's return to the camp. The 
repetition of the words at the end of 
the chapter seems designed to cor- 
rect the misapprehension that might 
arise, on reading them in their first 
connection, as to the precise time 
to which they refer. This we re- 
gard as a safer solution of the diffi- 
culty than to suppose an error in the 
copyist, which in this instance seems 
to us improbable. 

16. In a cave at Makkedah. Heb. 
* in Makkedah ;' that is, in the vi- 
cinity of Makkedah, in the region 
adjoining the city, not in the city it- 
self. See what is said above of the 
phrase ' in Jericho,' ch. 5. 13, and ' in 
Gibeon,' ch. 10. 10. Compare too t 
with this what is said Am. 9. 2 — 4 * 
of the vain attempts of God's enemies 
to conceal themselves from his pre- 
sence. 

18. Setmenbyit. Heb. 'give men 
charge over it.' 

19. Smite the hindmost of them. 
Heb. * cut off the tail,' as the rear- 
guard of an army is called. The 



94 



JOSHUA, 



[A. C. 145L 



smite the hindmost of them ; 
suffer them not to enter into 
their cities : for the Lord your 
God hath delivered them into 
your hand. 

20 And it came to pass, when 
Joshua and the children of Is- 
rael had made an end of slaying 
them with a very great slaugh- 
ter, till they were consumed, 
that the rest which remained of 
them entered into fenced cities. 

21 And all the people re- 
turned to the camp to Joshua 



original term occurs only once else- 
where, Deut. 25. 1. 18. c Servants, 
dependants, or courtiers, in the East, 
always follow their superiors. Should 
one of them cease to serve or follow 
liis master or patron, having gained 
his end, another on seeing this, asks, 
" Where is your tain"— " The tail 
has been long in my way, I have cut 
it off.'" Roberts. IF Suffer them 
not to enter into their cities. Where 
Ihey would recover strength and re- 
new the war. It seems however from 
the next verse that a few stragglers 
succeeded in getting refuge in these 
defenced cities, but they were soon 
followed thither and destroyed. 

20. When Joshua and the children 
of Israel. That is, Joshua by the 
children of Israel, by their agency. 
It is evident from v. 21 that Joshua 
did not accompany them in person, 
but awaited their return at Makke- 
dah. It is, however, entirely accord- 
ing to scripture analogy to speak of 
that as done by a commander, which 
was done by the soldiers under his 
authority and control. The phrase 
may also be rendered, ' Joshua, even 
the children of Israel/ 

21. All the people returned to the 
camp at Makkedah. That is, the 
whole detachment which Joshua had 
sent out to scour the country and cut 
off the remaining straggling Canaan- 
ites. Probably a temporary encamp- 



at Makkedah in peace : x none 
moved his tongue against any 
of the children of Israel. 

22 Then said Joshua, Open 
the mouth of the cave, and bring 
out those five kings unto me 
out of the cave. 

23 And they did so, and 
brought forth those five kings 
unto him out of the cave, the 
king of Jerusalem, the king of 
Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, 
the king of Lachish, and the 
king of Eglon. 



ment had been formed here for the 
accommodation of the army after the 
victory, in consequence of the kings 
being imprisoned in a cave near it. 
IT In peace. Safe and sound. See 
Gen. 28. 21. Judg. 8. 9. IT None 
moved his tongue. That is, none of 
the Canaanites. They were struck 
dumb with astonishment ; they were 
so utterly confounded by the display 
of supernatural power put forth in 
behalf of Israel, that they presumed 
not to breathe a whisper of insult or 
reproach. As the Israelites marched 
in triumph through their towns and 
villages, so far from venturing to 
lift a hand against them, they did not 
even open their lips. It is a prover- 
bial expression, intimating a free- 
dom from any kind of insult or mo- 
lestation. ' When a person speaks 
of the fear to which his enemy is re- 
duced, he says, " Ah ! he dares not 
now to shake his tongue against me/' 
"He hurt you! the fellow will not 
shake his tongue against you." ' Ro- 
berts. See a similar mode of speech 
Ex. 11. 7. The Chal. renders it, 
' There was no hurt or loss to Israel r 
for which any man should afflict his 
soul.' Whether or no this be the 
sense of the words, such was no doubt 
the fact. When the army came to* 
be reviewed after the battle, there 
was none slain, none wounded, none " 
missing, not one Israelite had occa* 



A. C, 



1451.] 



CHAPTER X. 



95 



24 And it came to pass, when 
they brought out those kings 
unto Joshua, that Joshua called 
for all the men of Israel, and 
said unto the captains of the 
men of war which went with 
him, Come near, yput your feet 
upon the necks of these kings. 
And they came near, and put 
their feet upon the necks of 
them. 

25 And Joshua said unto them 
2 Fear not, nor be dismayed, be 
strong and of good courage : 

y Ps. 107. 40 & 110 5. & 149. 8, 9. Is. 26. 5, 6. Mai. 
<• 3. z Deut. 31. 6, 8. ch. 1. 9. 



sion to lament the loss of a friend or 
the loss of a limb. The original is 
very express that not one single Isra- 
elite was harmed either by word or 
weapon. So complete, so superhu- 
man, so glorious was the victory. 

24. All the men of Israel. Heb. 
* all the man or manhood of Israel.' 
i. e. all the men of war, the flower 
and prime of the army by whom the 
recent victory had been obtained. 
See on eh. 9. 6. IT Put your feet upon 
the necks of these kings. Not as a 
personal insult to the kings, but sym- 
bolically, in token not only of the 
present complete victory, but of the 
absolute subjection to which all their 
adversaries would finally be reduced, 
as Joshua himself explains it in the 
next verse. ' This in the East is a 
favorite way of triumphing over a 
fallen foe. When people are dispu- 
ting, should one be a little pressed, 
and the other begin to triumph, the 
former will say, " I will tread upon 
thy neck, and after that beat thee." 
A low caste man insulting one who 
is high, is sure to hear some one say 
to the offended individual, " Put your 
feet on his neck." ' Roberts. In like 
manner, toe are also taught to regard 
our victories past as pledges of fu- 
ture and greater conquests. — The 
severity enjoined towards the van- 
quished kings, though abhorrent to 
pur humane feelings, was right, be- 



for a thus shall the Lord do to 
all your enemies against whom 
ye fight. 

26 And afterward Joshua 
smote them, and slew them, and 
hanged them on five trees : and 
they b were hanging upon the 
trees until the evening. 

27 And it came to pass at the 
time of the going down of the 
sun, that Joshua commanded, 
and they c took them down off 
the trees, and cast them into the 
cave wherein they had been hid, 

a Deut. 3. 21. & 7. 19. b ch. 8. 29. c Deut. 21. 
23. ch. 8 29. 

cause it was commanded, Deut. 26. 
16, 17, and it was important that in 
doing the Lord's work the Israelites 
should be taught the lesson elsewhere 
inculcated by the prophet, Jer. 4. 8. 
' Cursed be he that doeth the Lord's 
work deceitfully, and cursed be he 
that keepeth back his sword from 
blood.' The act here mentioned waj> 
in fulfilment of the prediction Deut. 
33. 29. ■ Thou shalt tread upon their 
high places,' on which see note. 

26. Hanged them on five trees , &e. 
See on ch. 8. 29. 

27. At the time of the going down 
of the sun. Whether this was on the 
evening of the day so miraculously 
lengthened out, or of the following, 
it is not perhaps possible to deter- 
mine. Considering the space of time 
naturally requisite for the preceding 
events, we incline to the latter sup- 
position. IF Cast them intathe cave, 
1 That which they thought would 
have been their shelter, was made 
their prison first, and then their grave. 
So shall we be disappointed in that 
which we flee to from God ; yet to 
good people the grave is still c a hi- 
ding-place,' Job. 14. 3. Henry. % 
Laid great stones in the cave's mouth. 
Mainly, we presume, for the same 
reason that a similar monument was 
raised over the place where Achan 
was stoned and burnt, ch. 7. 26; to 
perpetuate the memory of the even* 



96 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



and laid great stones in the 
cave's mouth, which remain un- 
til this very day. 

28 IT And that day Joshua 
took Makkedah, and smote it 
with the edge of the sword, and 
the king thereof he utterly de- 
stroyed, them, and all the souls 
that were therein ; he let none 
remain : and he did to the king 
of,Makkedah d as he did unto the 
king of Jericho. 

29 Then Joshua passed from 
Makkedah, and all Israel with 
him, unto Libnah, and fought 
against Libnah : 

30 And the Lord delivered it 
also, and the king thereof, into 
the hand of Israel : and he 



in connection with the disgrace and 
ignominy of the culprits who suffer- 
ed there. Masius remarks, without 
specifying his authority, that 'those 
who have visited this region say, that 
the cave is still shown in a hill near 
Makkedah, its mouth being closed 
by a wall to preserve it as a monu- 
ment.' 

28. That day Joshua took Makke- 
dah. The same day on which the 
kings were hung, and which we have 
already remarked was probably the 
day subsequent to that on which the 
sun stood still . Yet it is possible that 
the sense may be, that about that time 
— not on the identical day — he took 
the city of Makkedah . It might have 
been a day or two later. IT The 
king thereof he utterly destroyed. Heb. 
1 devoted, made a curse.' IT All 
the souls. That is, all the people, men, 
women, and children; for it would 
appear from ch. 11. 14 that the cattle 
and spoils were given to the conquer- 
ors. If As he did unto the king of 
Jericho. How he had dealt with this 
king we are not expressly informed. 
Probably he had been first slain, and 
then hanged up, as was the king of 



smote it with the edge of the 
sword, and all the souls that 
were therein ; he let none remain 
in it ; but did unto the king there- 
of as he did unto the king of Jer- 
icho. 

31 1F And Joshua passed from 
Libnah, and all Israel with him, 
unto Lachish, and encamped 
against it, and fought against it : 

32 And the Lord delivered 
Lachish into the hand of Israel* 
which took it on the second day 
and smote it with the edge of the 
sword, and all the souls that were 
therein, according to all that he 
had done to Libnah. 

33 IT Then Horam king of 
Gezer came up to help Lachish ; 



Ai and the five kings here mentioned. 

29. And all Israel with him. That 
is, all of Israel that had been engaged 
with him in this late expedition. 
IT Unto Libnah. A city in the tribe 
of Judah near its western border, not 
far from Makkedah, about twelve 
miles west or southwest from Jerusa- 
lem. It was afterwards given to the 
priests, ch. 21. 13. Even its ruins 
have now disappeared. 

31. Unto Lachish. Situated a few 
miles directly south of Libnah, near 
the western limits of Judah. It was 
probably a strongly fortified place, 
as Joshua could not take it till the 
second day, and Sennacherib after- 
wards was obliged to ' raise the siege.* 
2 Kings, 19. 8. Is. 37. 8. Nothing is 
here said of the king of Lachish, as 
he was one of the five who had been 
executed before. 

33. Horam king of Gezer. There 
was a city of this name in the tribe 
of Ephraim twenty miles southwest 
of Jerusalem, ch. 16. 3, 10. Judg. 
1. 19. But this seems too remote 
from the scene of action. The prob- 
ability is, that it was some place in 
the tribe of Judah but little distant 



A. C. 1451.] CHAPTER X. 

and Joshua smote him and his 
people, until he had left him none 
remaining. 

34 IF And from Lachish Josh- 
ua passed unto Eglon, and all Is- 
rael with him : and they en- 
camped against it, and fought 
against it : 

35 And they took it on that 
day, and smote it with the edge 
of the sword, and all the souls 
that were therein he utterly de- 
stroyed that day, according to 
all that he had done to Lachish. 

36 And Joshua went up from 



97 



from Lachish, the king of which 
either as an ally of the king of La- 
chish, or for his own security, offer- 
ed to aid in resisting the further pro- 
gress of Joshua. ' Thus wicked men 
are often snared in their counsels, 
and, by opposing God in the way of 
his judgments, bring them sooner 
upon their own heads.' Henry. 

34. Unto Eglon. Another city of 
Judah, near to Lachish, and fifteen 
miles from Jerusalem. See map. 

35. TookitontKatday. The same 
day on which they encamped against 
it. 

36. 37. Unto Hebron — and the king 
thereof. Probably a successor to him 
who had been slain and hanged be- 
fore, v. 23, 26. The rank which 
this city evidently held among its sis- 
ter cities doubtless made it important 
that, in such a crisis as the present, 
a new head should be immediately 
appointed. — Though now taken, the 
city of Hebron seems afterwards to 
have fallen back into the hands of 
the Canaanites, which made it ne- 
cessary for Caleb to take it a second 
time as related, ch. 15. 14. Judge, 1. 
10. The case appears to have been 
the same in regard to some other of 
the places captured on this occasion. 
Judge, 1. 11 — 13. The reason of it 
was, that Joshua, in his rapid con- j 

9* 



Eglon, and all Israel with him, 
unto e Hebron ; and they fought 
against it : 

37 And they took it, and 
smote it with the edge of the 
sword, and the king thereof, and 
all the cities thereof, and all the 
souls that were therein ; he left 
none remaining (according to all 
that he had done to Eglon) but 
destroyed it utterly, and all the 
souls that were therein : 

33 1T And Joshua returned, 
and all Israel with him, to f De- 
bir ; and fought against it. 



e See ch. 14. 13. & 15. 13. Jud- 
,3. 15. Judg. 1. 11. 



quests, contented himself with tak- 
ing, demolishing, and burning those 
cities, but did not garrison any of 
them for fear of weakening his army. 
The scattered Canaanites in several 
instances do doubt took advantage of 
this, returned, repeopled, and put 
in a state of defence, the cities 
from which they had been expelled. 
Hence the Israelites were obliged to 
conquer them a second time. So the 
Christian in his spiritual warfare 
finds it as much as he can do to keep 
possession of the ground which he 
has once gained. His old enemies 
are incessantly returning upon him. 
His battles must be fought and his 
victories achieved anew. The lusts 
which appeared to be slain, are ever 
and anon giving signs that they still 
live ; and are intent upon regaining 
their former ascendancy. This 
makes it dangerous to remit our acti- 
vity for a single hour. Constant vigi- 
lance is the grand condition of final 
triumph. IF All the cities thereof. 
The cities subject to its jurisdiction 
and dependant upon it ; so that Heb- 
ron was properly speaking a metro- 
polis, i. e. a mother city. Such too 
was Gibeon, spoken of above, v. 2. 
ch. 9. 17. 

38. And Joshua returned. That is 
turned his course, began to march in 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451* 



39 And he look it, arid the 
king thereof, and all the cities 
thereof, and they smote them 
with the edge of the sword, and 
utterly destroyed all the souls 
that were therein ; he left none 
remaining : as he had done to 
Hebron, so he did toDebir, and to 
the king thereof ; as he had done 
also to Libnah, and to her king. 

40 IF So Joshua smote all the 



a new direction. It is not implied 
that he had been at Debir before; 
but that having now advanced to the 
southwest as far as he thought fit, 
even as far as Gaza, v. 41, he turn- 
ed and directed his course towards 
Gilgal, lying to the northeast, and 
fell upon Debir on his way. This 
city was in the tribe of Judah, about 
thirty miles southwest of Jerusa- 
lem and ten miles west of Hebron. 
It was also called Kirjath-Sepher, 
ch. 15. 15, and Kirjath-Sannah, ch. 
15. 19, perhaps from its being one 
of the seats of learning among the 
Canaanites; the name Kirjath-Se- 
pher signifying the city of books or of 
letters. The Canaanites having sub- 
sequently retaken it, Caleb, to whom 
it fell by lot, gave his daughter Ach- 
sah in marriage to Othniel for his 
bravery in having carried itby storm, 
ch. 15. 16. It was afterwards given 
to the priests, ch. 21. 15, but no trace 
of it is to be found at the present 
time. 

40. Smote all the country of the 
hills. Overrun as a conqueror, sub- 
dued and took possession of all the 
southern section of Canaan, famili- 
arly known by the appellation of 
1 Hahar,' i. e. the hill-country, which 
subsequently fell to the lot of Judah. 
Of this mountainous region Burck- 
hardt says, the whole country be- 
tween Tekoa and Hebron is finer 
and better cultivated than in the 
neighbourhood of Jerusalem ; while 
the sides of the hills, instead of being 
naked and dreary, are richly studded 



country of the hills, and of the 
south, and of the vale, and of the 
springs, and all their kings : he 
left none remaining, but utterly 
destroyed all that breathed, as 
the Lord God of Israel e com- 
manded. 

41 And Joshua smote them 
from Kadesh-barnea even unto 
h Gaza, 'and all the country of 
Goshen, even unto Gibeon. 

g Deut. 20. 16, 17. h Gen. 10. 19. i ch. II. 16. 

with the oak, the arbutus, the Scotch 
fir, and a variety of flowering shrubs* 
Of the hitherto unknown tract south 
of Hebron, Bankes, Legh, Irby and 
Mangles inform us that three days 
to the south of Hebron, they passed 
towards the Dead Sea through a 
country well cultivated, but extreme- 
ly uninteresting : eight or nine miles 
beyond Kerek they found them- 
selves on the borders of an extensive 
desert, entirely abandoned to the 
wandering Bedouins. A tribe of 
Jellaheen Arabs here told them, that 
in years of scarcity they were accus- 
tomed to retire into Egypt. The 
same necessity compelled Jacob to 
the same expedient : and the custom 
seems handed down from the patri- 
archs. See RusseWs Palestine. ff 
Of the south. That is, of Canaan. 
The southern part of the tribe of 
Judah and Idumea were designated 
by the general term, the south. 
Gen. 20. 1. IF Of the vale. Heb. 
' the low country, 5 i. e. the level 
champaign on the Mediterranean 
sea, extending from Joppa to the 
borders of Egypt. Deut. 1. 7. Judg. 
1. 9. Jer. 17. 26. U The springs. 
Heb. ' the descents,' i. e. probably 
the slopes or declivities of mountains, 
tracts formed by the washing down 
of the mountains, and so capable of 
cultivation. See Num. 31. 15. Deut, 
3. 17. IT Destroyed all that breath- 
ed. That is, of mankind ; for they 
kept the cattle for spoil. 

41. All the country of Goshen. Not 
the country of that name in Egypt, 



A. C. 1450,] 



CHAPTER XL 



99 



42 And all these kings and 
their land did Joshua take at one 
time ; ^because the Lord God 
of Israel fought for Israel. 

43 And Joshua returned, and 
all Israel with him, unto the camp 
to Gilgal. 

CHAPTER XL 
A ND it came to pass, when Ja- 
bin king of Hazor had heard 



those things, that he *sent to Jo- 
bab king of Madon, and to the 
king b of Shimron, and to the king 
of Achshaph, 

2 And to the kings that were 
on the north of the mountains, 
and of the plains south of c Cinne- 
roth, and in the valley, and in 
the borders d of Dor on the west, 

3 And to the Canaanite on the 
east and on the west, and to the 

aCh. 10. 3. bch. 1&.15. c Num. 34. 11. d ch. 17- 
11. Judg. 1. 27. 1 Kin. 4.11. 



the former residence of the Hebrews, 
but a place so called in Judah, four- 
teen miles south of Hebron, ch. 1L 
16.— 15. 51. 

42. At one time, Heb. 'at one 
turn, or one stroke; ' i. e. in one un- 
interrupted course of vigorous ac- 
tion ) or, as we should say, 1 in one 
campaign. The leading idea is that 
from the time Joshua entered upon 
this career of victories till it was 
closed there was no pause, no inter- 
mission, no cessation. IT Because 
the Lord fought for Israel. This 
clause is introduced in order to give 
credibility to the foregoing narra- 
tive. Viewed in any other light 
than as the result of omnipotence, 
such a tide of victories would natu- 
rally stagger all belief. 

CHAPTER XL 

1. Jabin king of Hazor, After 
the very remarkable reduction of 
the southern parts of Canaan, re- 
lated in the foregoing chapter, the 
kings of the north becoming appre- 
hensive for their safety, are here 
presented in the act of making a 
common interest and uniting with 
Jabin to put a stop to jthe further 
progress of the Israelites. Jabin 
was probably the common name of 
all the kings of Hazor, as we find 
that the king by whom the Israelites 
wp**e afterwards kept in bondage for 
*.we> Iff, ^ars and who was defeated 
by lieborah and Barak, was so call- 
ed. The name signifies wise or in- 



telligent. Hazor was a strong city 
on the west side of the waters of 
Merom, or lake Samechonitis, and 
the capital of northern Canaan. In 
the distribution of the land it fell to 
the tribe of Naphtali. It was in 
subsequent times frequently the seat 
of war, but not a ruin now remains 
to mark the place where it stood. 
1T Madon. The position of this city 
is unknown. It was doubtless in 
the neighborhood of the others here 
mentioned. U Shimron. Called 
also Shimron-Meron, ch. 12. 10. It 
fell afterwards to the lot of Zebulon, 
and was situated about eleven miles 
to the northeast of Nazareth. IT 
Achshaph. Situated in the tribe of 
Asher, near the confines of Zebulon. 
It was reduced to a small village, 
called Chasalus, in the time of Jer- 
ome, at the close of the fourth cen- 
tury, but is now entirely swept 
away. 

2. That ivere on the north of the 
mountains. Heb. ' from the north in 
the mountain,' i. e. residing in the 
mountainous region of the north, the 
tract of Anti-Libanus. IT The plains 
south of Cinneroth. Heb. 'plain.' An 
ancient city belonging afterwards 
to the tribe of Naphtali, and suppos- 
ed to have occupied the same site 
with the more modern Tiberias. 
Prom this city or village, the sea of 
Chinneroth, or Gennesareth, prob- 
ably had its name. From the origi- 
nal it is not perfectly clear whether 
the plain spoKen of lay to the south 



100 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1450. 



Amorite, and the Hittite, and the 
Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the 
mountains, e and to the Hivite un- 
der f Hermon ?in the land of 
Mizpeh. 

4 And they went out, they 
and all their hosts with them, 

e Judg. 3. 3. f ch. 13. 11. g Gen. 31. 49. 



of Chinneroth, or Chinneroth to the 
south of that. In the former case, it 
would seem to have been the plain 
of the Jordan, which we think less 
likely. IT In the valley. In the 
low or valley tracts generally, in 
contradistinction from the mountain- 
ous points which were inhabited. 
IT T/ie borders of Dor. This was a 
place on the coast of the Mediterra- 
nean, about nine miles north of Ce- 
sarea Palestine, and at a little dis- 
tance from mount Carmel. A small 
village, called Tortura, is in the vi- 
cinity of the ruins of the ancient 
town containing forty or fifty houses. 

3. The Canaanite on the East, &c. 
The Canaanites, properly so called, 
dwelt part of them in the east near 
Jordan, and part on the west near 
the sea ; both are here united. IT 
The Hivite under Hermon. At the 
foot of mount Hermon ; of which 
mountain see on Deut. 3. 9. They 
are designated in this way to distin 
guish them from another portion of 
the same race dwelling at Gibeon, of 
whom we have already spoken. 
IT In the land of Mizpeh. That is, 
the land of watching or espial, so call- 
ed from its commanding an exten- 
sive prospect of the surrounding 
country, from which the approach 
or movements of an enemy might be 
discovered. There were several 
places of this name, but reference is 
here undoubtedly had to that lying 
in the northern quarter of Gilead, 
where Laban and Jacob made their 
covenant, as related Gen. 31. 48, 49. 

4. And they went out. Took the 
ileld ; a phrase frequently employed 
by the sacred writers for going forth 
upon a military expedition. Thus j 
% Sam. 11. 1, ' and it came to pass— I 



much people, h even as the sand 
that is upon the sea-shore in mul- 
titude, with horses at.d chariots 
very many. 

5 And when all these kings 
were met together, they came 
and pitched together at the wa- 

h Gen. 22. 17. & 32. 12. Judg. 7. 12. 1 Sam. 13. 5. 



at the time when kings go forth,' i. e. 
to battle, as our version rightly un- 
derstands it. Comp. Num. 21. 23". 
Job 39. 21. It As the sand that is 
upon the sea-shore. A proverbial ex- 
pression used to denote a vast but in- 
definite number — a number of which 
no accurate estimate could be formed. 
Josephus, upon what authority we 
know not, is more particular. He 
states the number at 300,000 foot, 
10,000 horse, and 20,000 chariots of 
war. Whether this be correct or not, 
the words of the text lead us to infer 
that a vast population now occupied 
the land of promise, and that the soil 
must have been of exuberant fertil- 
ity to sustain it. The immense mul- 
titude moreover of the enemy went 
to heighten the glory of Joshua's vic- 
tory. IT With horses and chariots 
very many. Heb. 'horse and char- 
iot very much.' The horses were 
probably brought out of Egypt or Ar- 
menia and not bred in Canaan, which 
was not a country favorable to their 
production or use. Deut. 17. 1G. 1 
Kings, 10. 28, 29. The war chari- 
ots of the Canaanites are supposed 
to have been armed with iron scythes 
fastened to the poles and to the ends 
of the axle-trees. When furiously 
driven they would make fearful 
havoc in the ranks of infantry — of 
which only were the forces of Israel 
composed — mowing them down like 
grass. In view therefore of such 
a formidable armament mustered 
against him, Joshua receives from 
the Lord a special encouragement 
and promise of success. 

5. Were met together. Heb. 'were 
assembled by appointment' In pur- 
suance of previous arrangements. 
ChaL ' met at a time agreed upon.* 



A. C. 1450.] 

ters of Merom, to fight against 
Israel. 

6 IT And the Lord said unto 



CHAPTER XI. 



101 



IT At the waters of Merom, Gener- 
ally understood of the lake Semechon 
or Samechonitis lying between the 
head of the river Jordan and the lake 
of Gennesaret. The name imports 
1 highness,' and is supposed to be so 
called because its waters were high- 
er than those of the sea of Galilee. 
The Arabic Samaka, from which 
Semeehon is derived, has the same 
import. It is situated in a valley and 
is now called Bahhrat el-Hhule, i. e. 
the lake of the valley ', a valley formed 
by the two branches of mount Her- 
mon. In summer the lake is for the 
most part dry, and covered with 
shrubs and grass, in which lions, 
bears, and other wild beasts conceal 
themselves. 

6. Shall hough their horses. That 
is, hamstring them, cut the sinews of 
their legs. On the effects of such a 
treatment of these animals Mich- 
aelis remarks, that 'from ignorance 
of military affairs, most expositors 
have understood this eommand, as 
if it meant, not that the horses should 
fee killed, but merely lamed in their 
hind legs, and then let go. But a 
horse so treated, must, instead of run- 
ning off, fall instantly backwards, 
and writhe about miserably till he 
die, which generally happens from 
loss of blood, by the stroke of the 
sabre cutting the artery of the thigh. 
This is still, as military people have 
since informed me, the plan adopted 
to make those horses that are taken, 
but cannot be easily brought away, 
unserviceable to the enemy again. 
They hamstring them, which can be 
done in an instant; and they gener- 
ally die of the wound by bleeding to 
death ; but though they should not, 
the wound never heals; so that even 
if the enemy recover them alive, he 
is forced to dispatch them: and 
every compassionate friend of horses, 
who has ever seen one in that situa- 
tion, will do so in order to terminate 
fcis misery. There is, no founda- 



Joshua, iBe not afraid because 
of them : for to-morrow about 
this time will I deliver them up 

i Ch. 10. 8. 

tion, for Kimchi's opinion, that mere 
laming was enjoined, because it 
would be wrong to put an animal un- 
necessarily to death. For thus to 
lame a horse that would still live, in 
my opinion, would rather have been 
extreme cruelty ; because, being then 
useless, nobody would be likely to 
give him any food.' (Comment, on 
Laws of Moses, Art LX1V.) The 
reasons for prescribing such a treat- 
ment probably were (1) Because God 
would have his people act upon the 
resolution expressed by the Psalmist, 
Ps. 20. 7, ' Some trust in chariots and 
some in horses ; but we will remem- 
ber the name of the Lord our God.' 
If horses had been in common use 
among them, they would have been 
apt to rely upon them instead of trust- 
ing to the aid of omnipotence in 
achieving their conquests. But 
God's design was to cut them off 
from human resources, and by ena- 
bling a company of raw and inexpe- 
rienced footmen to rout powerful 
bodies of cavalry, to secure the glory 
of the victory to his own right arm, 
to which only it was due. (2) Be- 
cause horses were a kind of useless 
plunder to the Israelites. From the 
nature of the country they could not 
well be employed for purposes of ag- 
riculture. In that rough and moun- 
tainous land oxen and asses could 
be employed to much greater advan- 
tage; and as to travelling, it was 
never designed that the Israelites 
should be a travelling people. They 
were to be an agricultural and not a 
commercial race. They were to live 
apart from other nations as a reli- 
gious community. Their stated 
journeys to Jerusalem to attend upon 
the religious festivals would be about 
all the travelling that would be ne- 
cessary, and this on their rough roads 
could be better performed on foot or 
on asses than on horses. Such of 
these animals therefore as they took 
in war could be of no use to them, 



102 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1450. 



all slain before Israel : thou shalt 
k hough their horses, and burn 
their chariots with fire. 

7 So Joshua came, and all the 
people of war with him, against 
them by the waters of Merom 
suddenly, and they fell upon 
them. 

8 And the Lord delivered 
them into the hand of Israel, who 
smote them, and chased them un- 
to great Zidon, and unto iMisre- 
phothmaim, and unto the valley 

k 2 Sam. 8. 4. 1 ch 13. 6. 



unless they sold them, and this would 
not be wise, as they might finally 
have come round again into the hands 
of their enemies. The true policy 
accordingly was to diminish as far 
as possible this race of animals, which 
might give their enemies a signal ad- 
vantage, and in this policy we sup- 
pose the present order to have origin- 
ated. 

7. Suddenly. The great feature 
of Joshua's military operations ap- 
pears to have been dispatch. In the 
celerity of his movements he seems 
to have equalled the most renowned 
generals whether of ancient or mod- 
ern times. Being now apprized of 
this grand combination of the north- 
ern kings, he loses no time, but by a 
forced march, and before they could 
have supposed him at hand, comes 
suddenly upon them and puts them 
to the rout. 

8. Unto great Zidon. A well 
known city of Ancient Phenicia, si- 
tuated on the east coast of the Medi- 
terranean, about twenty-five miles 
north of Tyre, fifty south of Berytus 
(Bey root), and sixty-six west of Da- 
mascus. Its modern name is Said. 
The epithet rn"!, great, here affixed 
to it, is expressive of number rather 
than of size, and implies not only its 
populousness, but the extent and vari- 
ety of its resources of every kind. 
IT Misrephoth-maim, Or, Heb. ' Mis- 
repoth of the waters,' i. e. the burn- 
ings of the waters; but whether so 



of Mizpeh eastward ; and they 
smote them until they left them 
none remaining. 

9 And Joshua did unto them 
m as the Lord bade him : he 
houghed their horses, and burnt 
their chariots with fire. 

10 IF And Joshua at that time 
turned back, and took Hazor, 
and smote the king thereof with 
the sword : for Hazor before, 
time was the head of all those 
kingdoms. 



called from its being noted for hoi 
springs, or the manufacture of glass, 
or of salt, each of which has been 
conjectured, or from some other 
cause, it is not possible to determine. 
It is supposed to have been a place 
on the sea coast, about three miles 
north of Sidon. IT Valley of Miz- 
peh. Under mount Hermon, as ap- 
pears by comparing this with v. 3 
and 17, in the latter of which it ap- 
pears to be called the valley of Leba- 
non. This place lay on the east, as 
Sidon did on the west, so that the 
vanquished enemy fled in two differ- 
ent directions, in both of which they 
were pursued by the conquerors. 
IT Until they left them none remaining. 
From other portions of the history, 
it is plain that this language here and 
elsewhere, is not to be construed in 
its most literal import. Numbers of 
the Canaanites did undoubtedly 
escape the sword of the Israelites, 
and fled to Zidon, Tyre and other 
maritime cities ; and even here it 
appears, that Jabin escaped with his 
life from the battle. But the drift of 
the words is to intimate, that they left 
none alive who fell into their hands, 
whomsoever they encountered or 
overtook they slew. 

10. Hazor — ivas the head, &c. Not 
of all Canaan, but of those northern 
principalities which were combined 
in this expedition against Israel, 
This city, however, afterwards re- 
covered itself, and grievously op, 



A. C. 1450.] 



CHAPTER XI. 



109 



11 And they smote all the 
souls that were therein with the 
edge of the sword, utterly de- 
stroying them : there was not 
any left to breathe : and he burnt 
Hazor with fire. 

12 And all the cities of those 



kings, and all the kings of them, 
did Joshua take, and smote them 
with the edge of the sword, and 
he utterly destroyed them, n as 
Moses the servant of the Lord 
commanded. 

13 But as for the cities that 

n Num. 33. 52. Deut. 7. 2. & ^0. 1G, 17. 



pressed the people of Israel, Judg. 
4.2. 

11. Not any left to breathe. Heb. 
i not any breath ;"' i. e. not any human 
being. IT He burnt Hazor with fire. 
Comp. v. 13. It is not said express- 
ly of the Israelites, in this part of the 
narrative, that they burnt any city 
whatever, as such a statement might 
give rise to the impression that, in 
the ardor of military zeal, they were 
guilty of excesses, and in the spirit 
of a licentious soldiery, were eager 
to apply the torch to the devoted 
cities. On the contrary, the act is 
attributed to Joshua, implying that it 
was done calmly and deliberately, 
and in all likelihood by divine direc- 
tion. The phraseology is so con- 
structed as to give a striking testi- 
mony to the moderation and self-con- 
trol of the armies of the Most High. 

12. Utterly destroyed them. That 
is, the persons, the inhabitants ; for 
many of the cities themselves, as well 
as the spoils which they contained, 
were preserved, as we learn in the 
ensuing verse. 

13. The cities that stood still in 
their strength. Heb. fcln is nTtoS 
standing upon, or by their heaps. 
It would be difficult to point out 
any single expression in the whole 
book of Joshua, perhaps in the 
whole Scriptures, more difficult of 
explanation than this. The exact 
literal version of the words we have 
given above ; but our common trans- 
lation has followed the Chaldee para- 
pharase in rendering the Heb. Jn, 
by ' strength,' a sense which it has in 
no other instance, that we can dis- 
cover in the compass of the sacred 
writings. Its prevailing and legiti- 
mate import is a ' heap of ruins.' 



Thus Deut. 13. 16. in reference to the 
city which had become the seat of 
idolatry ; ' Thou shalt gather all the 
spoil of it into the midst of the street 
thereof, and shalt burn with fire the 
city, and all the spoil thereof for the 
Lord thy God; and it shall be an 
heap (Jp) forever ; it shall not be 
built again.' Josh. 8. 28, ' And Josh- 
ua burnt Ai, and made it an heap 
(bn) forever, even a desolation unto 
this day.' Jer. 49. 2, ' I will cause 
an alarm of war to be heard in Rab- 
bah of the Ammonites, and it shall 
be a desolate heap, (rflaJM) Jr), and 
her daughters shall be burned with 
fire.' Jer. 30. 18, ' The city shall be 
builded upon her own heap (nin) ;' 
i. e. upon its own ruins. These ex- 
amples show the genuine force of the 
word. The mass of expositors, how- 
ever, from the affinity of the ideas of 
a heap of ruins and an eminence, or 
elevation of any kind, and not know- 
ing what to understand by cities 
'standing upon their ruinous heaps,' 
have been led to interpret it of cities 
standing upon hills, or rocky heights, 
forming natural fortresses of great 
strength, and such as the Israelites 
chose to retain for their own use. 
To this solution we should have no- 
thing to object were it warranted by 
the native import of the term ; but 
we are persuaded it is not. The 
true rendering is unquestionably that 
which we have given, and a consis- 
tent sense is to be sought for the 
phrase. From an attentive compa- 
rison of the context, it appears that 
the kings and the inhabitants of these 
cities were all put to the sword, while 
the cattle and the spoil generally went 
into the hands of the captors. Dur- 
1 ing the time, therefore, of the actual 



104 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1450. 



stood still in their strength, Israel 
burned none of them, save Hazor 
only : that did Joshua burn. 

] 4 And all the spoil of these 
cities, and the cattle, the children 
of Israel took for a prey unto 
themselves : but every man they 
smote with the edge of the sword, 
until they had destroyed them, 
neither left they any to breathe. 

15 IT ° As the Lord command- 
ed Moses his servant, so Pdid Mo- 
ses command Joshua, and qso did 
Joshua : he left nothing undon e 

o Ex.' 34. 11, 12. pDeut. 7. 2. q ch 1. 7. 



occurrence of these events, the cities 
in question must have presented a 
fearful scene of carnage and desola- 
lation. Heaps of lifeless bodies and 
of gathered spoil would be accumu- 
lated in the streets, and wherever 
such a complete conquest and pillage 
could be easily effected without de- 
molishing the walls, buildings, or 
fortifications of the cities, those cities 
might be said to ' stand still, or con- 
tinue to stand upon, over, or by their 
ruinous heaps,' i. e. heaps of the 
slain and heaps of spoil. This doubt- 
less was the case in numerous instan- 
ces. It was not absolutely necessary 
to raze and burn all the cities, and 
so many of them were spared ; but 
Hazor being the head of the confed- 
eracy and more guilty than the rest 
was properly made an exception and 
utterly destroyed. IF Save Hazor 
only. As this city had begun the war, 
and from its being a royal residence 
and strongly fortified might, if it 
should fall back into the hands of the 
Canaanites, possess peculiar facili- 
ties for renewing and carrying it on 
afresh, Joshua deemed it prudent to 
guard against all danger from that 
quarter by demolishing it altogether. 
— So the Christian, if he finds his 
spiritual enemies likely to entrench 
themselves in any particular corrup- 
tion or infirmity of his nature, and 
thence to make violent inroads upon 



of all that the Lord commanded 
Moses. 

16 So Joshua took all that 
land, r the hills, and all the south 
country, s and all the land of Go- 
shen, and the valley, and the 
plain, and the mountain of Israel? 
and the valley of the same ; 

17 tEven from the mount Ha- 
lak, that goefh up to Seir, even 
unto Baal-gad, in the valley of 
Lebanon under mount Hermon ; 
and u aII their kings he took, and 
smote them, and slew them. 



r Ch. 12. 8. s ch. 10. 41. 
7 24. ch. 12. 7. 



t ch. 12. 7. u Deut, 



his peace, is bound at all hazards, by 
crucifying such a lust, to deprive 
them of this advantage. If they can 
be dislodged from their strong hold 
in no other way, let him destroy the 
strong hold itself. 

14. All the spoil of these cities — 
Israel took. With the exception of 
such things as had been employed 
for idolatrous purposes, Deut. 7. 25, 

15. As the Lord commanded Moses r 
&c. A virtual vindication of the 
Israelites from the charge of cruelty 
which might possibly be brought 
against them in view of the severi- 
ties exercised towards these van- 
quished kings and people of Canaan. 
Tl He left nothing undone. Or, Heb, 
'removed, rejected, diminished noth- 
ing.' 

16. The mountain of Israel and 
the valley of the same. Not any par- 
ticular mountain and valley, but the 
mountains and valleys generally in- 
cluded in the whole extent of the 
land of Israel. 

17. From the Mount Halak. That 
is, Heb. ' the bare, smooth, or bald 
mountain,' so called from its being 
destitute of trees. The writer's de- 
sign seems to be to specify the ex- 
treme southern and northern limits 
of the promised land. Joshua's con- 
quests extended from the borders of 
Seir or Edom, where Mount Halak 
was situated, northward to Baal-gad, 



A. C. 1450.] 

18 Joshua made war a long 
time with aii those kings. 



CHAPTER XI. 



105 



19 There was not a city that 
made peace with the children of 



which lies at the foot of Mount Leb- 
anon. 

18. Joshua made war a long time. 
Heb. 'many days.' As many at 
least as six or seven years ; as ap- 
pears from comparing ch. 14. 7 — 10 ; 
the first having been occupied in the 
conquest of the southern portion of 
the land, and the remaining five or 
six in that of the northern. It would 
seem that the writer by inserting 
this statement here designed to 
guard the reader against the im- 
pression that, as the record of these 
wars is very brief, so the space of 
time in which they were accomplish- 
ed was also brief. This by no 
means follows, as the present ac- 
count is intended as a mere rapid 
sketch or outline of Israel's victo- 
ries over the nations of Canaan. In 
the sacred writings the compass of 
a few sentences often contains the 
events of many years. — We may 
not perhaps be able to state all the 
reasons that weighed in the divine 
mind for thus prolonging the war- 
fare of his people, but of one we are 
assured by God himself, Deut. 7. 22. 
' The Lord thy God will put out 
those nations before thee by little 
and little ; thou may est not consume 
them at once, lest the beasts of the 
field increase upon thee. 1 In addition 
to this, it was no doubt the purpose 
of heaven to try the faith and pa- 
tience of his people by a long series 
of arduous struggles. Although the 
commencement of the work was 
marked by a succession of wonder- 
ful interpositions in their behalf, 
yet in its progress they were to be 
left more to their personal exertions. 
God would not make his miraculous 
aid too cheap in their eyes by mak- 
ing it common. He would train 
them to a course of the most vigor- 
ous efforts on their part, while at the 
same time they were taught their 
continual dependance on him for 
success in their conflicts. This a* 
in beautiful analogy with the war- 
fare of the Christian. In its com- 
10 



mencement, at the outset of the 
Christian life, the power of God is 
no less wonderfully displayed than 
in the history before us. The tran- 
sition of a soul from darkness to 
light is virtually a miracle. It is 
effected by the sovereign power of 
God as really, and to the sinner' s 
consciousness in many instances as 
marvellously, as the passage of Is- 
rael through the cloven w r aters of 
Jordan. But in its progress, the 
work is carried forward more ap- 
propriately by his own actings. He 
has the armor given him, but his 
own activity is called forth in the 
use of it. His whole life is to be a 
state of warfare, and it is by hard 
fighting that he is to obtain the vic- 
tory. No one enemy will submit 
to him without an obstinate resis- 
tance, nor until violently smitten 
with the sword of the Spirit. There 
will be some seasons of more than 
ordinary conflict, when he will 
need peculiar succor from on high ; 
and there will be other seasons of 
comparative rest ; but there is no 
entire discharge in this war till mor- 
tality is swallowed up of life ; and 
then he shall enjoy the fruit of his 
victories in everlasting rest. 

19. Not a city that made peace — 
save the Hivites, &c. Although in 
the commands given to Moses res- 
pecting the extirpation of the Ca- 
naan ites we have no express intima- 
tion that any of them were to be 
spared upon their voluntary sur- 
render and submission, yet from 
the example of Rahab and the Gib- 
eonites, and especially from these 
words, the presumption is, that this 
was the case. The divine laws, 
wherever it can be done without 
compromising the interests of jus- 
tice, always lean to the side of mer- 
cy. Besides, it has been justly re- 
marked, that the reason of the law 
is the law. The evil designed to 
be prevented by the order for the 
universal destruction of the Canaan- 
ites, was the infecting of the Israel- 



103 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1450. 



Israel, save x the Hivites, the in- 
habitants of Gibeon : all other 
ihey took in battle. 

20 For yit was of the Lord 
to harden their, hearts, that they 
should come against Israel in 
battle, that he might destroy 
them utterly, and that they 

xch- 9. 3, 7. y Dent. 2. 30. Judg. 14. 4. 1 Sam. 
2. 25. 1 Km. 12. 15. Rom. 9. 18. 



ites with their idolatry, Deut. J. 4. 
But if these devoted nations re- 
nounced their idolatry, and came 
heartily into the interest of Israel, 
the danger was effectually prevent- 
ed, the reason of the law ceased, and 
consequently, we may suppose, the 
obligation ceased also. But the 
Canaanites in general were not in 
the least disposed to do this, nor did 
they so much as propose terms of 
accommodation. Of the cause or 
occasion rather, of this utter infat- 
uation, we are informed in the en- 
suing verse. If All other they took 
in battle. That is, all whom they 
did take, they took in battle. They 
received none upon submission. It 
is certain from other parts of the 
sacred narrative that the Canaanites 
were neither utterly exterminated / 
nor absolutely driven from their set- 
tlements either by Joshua or his 
immediate successors. On the con- 
trary a large proportion of them fled, 
it is supposed, to Tyre and Zi- 
don and thence migrated into dis- 
tant countries, particularly Africa, 
where they established numerous 
and flourishing colonies. Proco- 
pius relates that the Phoenicians 
fled before the Hebrews into Africa, 
and spread themselves abroad as far 
as the pillars of Hercules, and adds, 
1 In Numidia, where now stands the 
city Tigris (Tangiers) they have 
erected two columns, on which, in 
Phoenician characters, is the follow- 
ing inscription :— ' We are the Phoe- 
nicians who fled from the face of 
Jesus (or Joshua) the son of Nave 
(Nun).' Numbers, however, yet 
remained to dispute, for ages, the 



might have no favour, but that 
he might destroy them, z as the 
Lord commanded Moses. 

21 1T And at that time came 
Joshua and cut off a the Anakims 
from the mountains, from He- 
bron, from Debir, from Anab, 
and from all the mountains of Ju- 



z Deut. 20. 16, 17. 
ch. 15. 13, 14. 



i Num. 13.22,33. Deut. 1. S 



possession of the land with their in- 
vaders. 

20. It was of the Lord to harden 
their hearts. On the subject of God's 
hardening the hearts of men, see 
note on Ex. ch. 4. 21. The mean- 
ing here is simply that having sin- 
ned for a long tract of ages against 
the light of conscience and provi- 
dence, God was now pleased to leave 
them to a judicial hardness of heart , 
to give them up to vain confidence, 
pride, stubbornness, and malignity, 
that they might bring upon them- 
selves his righteous vengeance and 
be utterly destroyed. This result 
is said to be 'of or from the Lord,' 
because he did not interpose to 
prevent it. IT As the Lord com- 
manded Moses. This expression 
occurs here and elsewhere in this 
connection, v. 15, c to show that 
Joshua and Israel did not act out of 
cruelty, revenge, and avarice ; but 
simply in obedience to God, which 
alone could induce pious men to 
make such undistinguishing slaugh- 
ter of their fellow creatures: and 
doubtless many of them did very 
great violence to their own feelings 
and inclinations, while engaged in 
that service.' Scott. 

21. At that time. That is, during 
this war ; in the course of these 
conquests. The words refer to no 
special point of time, as the work 
was gradually accomplished during 
the lapse of a considerable period. 
Some suppose this to be merely a 
recapitulation of the military opera- 
tions detailed, ch. 10. 36 — 41, add- 
ing here a memorable circumstance 
there omitted, viz. the destruction of 



A. C. 1450.] 



CHAPTER XII. 



107 



dah, and from all the mountains 
of Israel : Joshua destroyed 
them utterly with their cities. 

22 There was none of the 
Anakims left in the land of the 
children of Israel : only in Gaza, 
in b 6ath, c and in Ashdod, there 
remained. 

23 So Joshua took the whole 
land, According to all that the 

bl Sam. 17. 4. c ch. 15. 16. d Nam. 31. 2, &c 



the Anakims with the rest of the 
inhabitants of those places. Of this 
gigantic race, see on Num. 13 33 
Their cutting off is particularly 
mentioned here, because they had 
been such a terror to the spies forty 
years before, to whom their bulk 
and strength made them appear as 
absolutely invincible. Even the op- 
position which they feared the most 
was overcome. ' Never let the sons 
of Anak be a terror to the Israel of 
God, for even their day will come 
to fall. Giants are dwarfs to Om- 
nipotence.' Henry. Though these 
Anakims were now for the most part 
reduced, yet numbers of them escap- 
ed and took refuge in the country of 
the Philistines, and settled there, 
from whom Goliath, and other 
giants, descended. After a time 
some of them returned with followers 
and rebuilt the cities from which 
they had been expelled; and Caleb 
and Othniel, to whom that region 
was assigned, vanquished and de- 
stroved them after the division of 
the land. Ch. 14. 6—15. 15. 13—17. 
22. So Joshua took the whole land. 
Not absolutely the whole, for in 
ch. 13. 1, the Lord himself is repre- 
sented as saying to Joshua, * There 
remaineth yet very much land to be 
possessed,' but all the country de- 
scribed here and in the preceding 
chapter ; the greatest and best part 
of it. U Gave it for an inheri- 

tance unto Israel, The actual 
distribution of the land is detailed 
afterwards. 



Lord said unto Moses, and Josh- 
ua gave it for an inheritance un- 
to Israel According to their di- 
visions by their tribes. f And 
the land rested from war 



CHAPTER XII. 

lVrOW these ore the kings of 
■*-* the land, which the children 
of Israel smote, and possessed 

e Num. 26. 53- ch 1-1 & 15. & 16 ft 17. & 13. & 19. 
f ch. 14. 15. & 21. 44. & 22. 4. & 2. . 1. 



CHAPTER XII. 
"We have in the present chapter 
a recapitulation of all the victories 
thus far achieved. As the writer is 
about to enter upon a particular ac- 
count of the distribution of the land 
among the tribes, he here pauses to 
give previously a general view of 
the territory to be divided, includ- 
ing the tracts on both sides the Jor- 
dan. This he does by specifying 
the kings, rather than the countries 
over which they reigned ; for the 
power of a state is concentrated in 
the person of its sovereign, and such 
an enumeration presents the subject 
more vividly to the mind of the 
reader.— The first six verses con- 
tain a list of the kings on the east 
side of Jordan, conquered by Moses, 
with their territories, and the re- 
mainder of the chapter is occupied 
with a catalogue of those that were 
reduced by Joshua. ' The enjoyment 
of present blessings under living 
benefactors should not be suffered to 
efface the remembrance of former 
mercies procured by the instrumen- 
tality of God's honored servants who 
have entered into their rest. The 
services and achievements of Joshua, 
should not eclipse those of Moses.' 
Henry. The passages referred to 
in the margin give all the useful in- 
formation that can now be gleaned 
respecting those places, but recourse 
to a good map of ancient Canaan is 
indispensable to obtaining a clear 
idea of the subject. 
1, From the river Arnonunto Mount 



103 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1450. 



their land on the other side Jor- 
dan toward the rising of the sun, 
a from the river Arnon, b unto 
mount Hermon, and all the plain 
on the east : 

2 c Sihon king of the A mo rites, 
who dwelt in Heshbon, and ru- 
led from Aroer, which is upon 
the bank of the river Arnon, and 
from the middle of.the river, and 

■a Sum. 2. 24. b Dem. 3. 8, 9. c Num 21 24- 
Hem. 2. do 36. & 3. 6/1'). 



Hermon. The small river Arnon 
was the boundary of all the south- 
ern coast of the land occupied by 
the Israelites beyond Jordan. The 
mountains of Hermon were the 
^boundaries on the north. The Ar- 
non takes its rise in the mountains 
>of Gilead, and after running a con- 
siderable distance from north to 
south, turns to the northwest and 
falls into the Dead Sea not very far 
from the place where the Jordan 
.discharges itself. See Num. 21. 13. 
Deut. 2. 24. IT And all the plain 
on the east. Or, even all the plain ; 
all the arable champaign country on 
the east of the Jordan, and called 
Deut. 34. 1, ' The plains of Moab.' 
On the physical features of this 
country see note on Num. 3. 2. 

-2. Ruled from Aroer. The king- 
dom of Sihon was bounded by the 
Arnon on the south, the Jabbok on 
the north, the Jordan on the west, 
and the mountains of Arabia on 
the east. IT And from the middle 
j>f the river. Heb. ifnn "nfll an d 
that which lies between the^ streams. 
A line passing along the middle of 
a stream, and that stream fey no 
means a large one, is so remarkable 
a boundary to be adopted by ancient 
barbarous clans, that we are quite 
satisfied tlie translation is errone- 
ous. The word ' from/ introduced 
by our translators, does not occur in 
the original either here or in the en- 
suing clause, c from half Gilead,' 
and the meaning undoubtedly is, 
that Sihon ruled from Aroer over 
the country lying between the rivers 



from half Gilead, even unto the 
river Jabbok, which is the border 
of the children of Ammon ; 

3 And d from the plain to the 
sea of Cinneroth on the east, and 
unto the sea of the plain, even 
the salt sea on the east, e the way 
to Beth-jeshimoth ; and from the 
south, under f Ashdoth-pisgah : 

4 IT And ethe coast of Og 

d Den 3. 17. - ch. 13. 20. i Deut 3 17. & 4. 49- 
g hum. vl. .5. Deu . 3 4, 10. 

(collect, sing, for plur.) even the 
half of Gilead, as far north as to 
the river Jabbok. See on ch. 13. 9. 
All the region lying intermedi- 
ate between the above mentioned 
streams, and sometimes called ' half 
Gilead,' was subject to his authority. 
This interpretation is strikingly 
confirmed by the words of Josephus 
relative to the territory of Sihon, 
which, he says, ' is a country situate 
between three rivers, and naturally 
resembling an island; the river 
Arnon being its southern limit., the 
river Jabbok determining its north- 
ern side, while Jordan itself runs 
along by it on its western coast.' 
(Antiq. B. 41. ch. 5.) The other 
half of Gilead, as appears from v. 
4, 5, lay beyond the Jabbok, and be- 
longed to the kingdom of Og. 

3. And from the plain, &c. Here 
again the word 'from ' is gratuitous- 
ly, and, as we conceive, erroneously 
inserted. The design of the writer 
is merely to give a more distinct view 
of the position of the tract called ' the 
plain, 1 which embraced as we sup- 
pose the plain of the Jordanon its eas- 
tern side, extending from the sea of 
Cinneroth or Gennesaret on the north 
to the salt or Dead Sea on the south. 
It is not implied that he reigned to 
the sea of Cinneroth, but that the 
plain in question extended that far, 
the largest part of which fell into his 
dominions. IT Sea of the plain. 
The Dead Sea is so called from its 
occupying what was once a fertile, 
luxuriant, and beautiful plain, in 
which were situated the cities of:So- 



A. C. 1450] 



CHAPTER XII. 



109 



king of Bashan, which teas of 
h the remnant of the giants, ^that 
dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 

5 And reigned in k mount Her- 
mon, land in Salcah, and in all 
Bashan, m unto the border of the 
Geshu rites, and the Maacha- 
thites, and half Gilead, the bor- 
der ofSihon king of Heshbon. 

6 "Them did Moses the ser- 
vant of the Lord and the chil- 
dren of Israel smite : and °Mo- 
ses the servant of the Lord gave 
it for a possession unto the Reu- 
benites, and the Gadites, and the 
half-tribe of Manasseh. 

7 11 And these are the kings 
of the country p which Joshua 
and the children of Israel smote 
on this side Jordan on the west, 
from Baal-gad in the valley of 
Lebanon, even unto the mount 

h Dent. 3. II. ch. 13. 12. i Dent. 1. 4 k Deut. 3. 
8 1 Deui. 3. 10. ch. 13. 11. m Deut. 3- 14. n Num. 
21. 24, 33. o Num. 32. 29, 33 Deuu 3- 11, 12. ch. 
13. 8. p ch. 11. 17 



dom and Gomorrah, called also the 
1 cities of the plain.' IT Belhjeshi- 
moth. Situated about ten miles east 
of the Jordan, and about the same 
distance from its mouth: IT From 
the south. Or, Heb. ' from Teman.' 
IT Under Ashdoth-pisgah* Seated in 
the plains or rather the slopes at the 
foot of mount Pisgah. The original 
word ' Ashdoth ' probably signifies 
the low places at the foot of a moun- 
tain. Comp. Deut. 3. 17.— 4. 49. 

4. And the coast of Qg, king of Ba- 
shan. Supply here from v. 1, And 
the children of Israel smote and pos- 
sessed the coast, &c.' Varying a 
little the phraseology with which he 
commenced, the writer here speaks 
first of the country of the king of Ba- 
shan, instead of enumerating the king 
himself. IT Of the remnant of the 
giants. See on Deut. 3. 11. if 
That dwelt at Ashtaroth and Edrei. 
Referring to Os and not to the giants. 
10* 



Halak that goeth up to oSeir ; 
which Joshua r gave unto the 
tribes of Israel for a possession 
according to their divisions ; 

8 6 In the mountains, and in 
the valleys, and in the plains, 
and in the springs, and in the 
wilderness, and in the south coun- 
try ; 'the Hittites, the Amorites, 
and the Canaanites, the Perizites, 
the Hivites, and the Jebusites : 

9 1T u The king of Jericho, 
one ; x the king of Ai, which is 
beside Beth*el, one ; 

10 yThe king of Jerusalem, 
one; the king of Hebron, one ; 

1 1 The king of Jarmuth, one ; 
the king of Lachish, one ; 

12 The king of Eglon, one ; 
z th^ king of Gezer, one ; 

13 a The king of Debir, one ; 
the king of Geder, one ; 

rch. 11.23. ech. »0 40. & 11.16. t Ex. 3. 8. & 

23. 23. ch. 9. k u ch. 6. 2. x ch 8. 29. y ch, 

10.23. zch. 10. 33. a ch. 10. 38. q Gen. 14. 6. 
& 32.3 Deut. 2. 1,4. 

Probably both were royal cities, and 
he resided sometimes in one, and 
sometimes in the other. The reader 
will find their position on the map, 
as also that of the places mentioned 
in the ensuing verse. 

6. Gave it for a possession. The 
word ' it ' has no antecedent express- 
ed, but it is easily referred to the 
whole extent of country here spoken 
of, which was taken by Moses and 
given to the two tribes and a half as 
an inheritance. 

7. From Baal-gad. A repetition 
of what is mentioned, ch. 11. 17. 

8. In the mountains, and in the val- 
leys, &c. The meaning probably is, 
that he smote the nations dwelling in 
the mountains, valleys, &c, even the 
Hittites, the Amorites, &c. The 
words convey at the same time a 
striking intimation of the general 
features of the country, its rich va- 
riety of soils, contributing at once to 



110 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



14 ThekmgofHormah, one; 
the king of Arad, one ; 

15 b The king of Libnah, one ; 
the king of Adullam, one ; 

16 c The king of Makkedah, 
one ; d the king Beth-el, one ; 

17 The king of Tappuah, 
one, e the king of Hepher, one ; 

18 The king ofAphek,one; 
the king of Lasharon, one ; 

19 The king of Madon, one ; 
f the king of Hazor, one ; 

20 The king of sShimrom- 
meron, one ; the king of Ach- 
shaph, one ; 

21 The king of Taanach, 
one ; the king of Megiddo, one ; 

b ch. 10. 29 c ch. 10. 23. d oh. 8. 17. Jadg 1- 
22. el Kin. 4.10. f ch 11.10. gch. 11 I. & 
19, 15. 



its fruitfulness and its pleasantness. 
24. All the kings, thirty and one. 
From the number of these kings, we 
may team how numerous and yet 
how small were the petty principal- 
ities into which the land of Canaan 
was divided. The extent of this 
country from north to south was not 
more than 150 miles, and not more 
than fifty from east to west. In like 
manner were nearly all the different 
nations of the world divided. The 
consequence was that civil wars and 
border feuds continually prevailed, 
making them an easy prey to foreign 
invadors. Thus history informs us 
that when Caesar invaded Britain 
there were no less than four kings 
in the single county of Kent. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1 . Joshua was old. In all proba- 
bility about a hundred, as he employ- 
ed not far from seven years in the 
conquest of the land, and is supposed 
to have spent about one in dividing 
it, and he died about ten years after 7 
aged one hundred and ten years, ch. 
24. 29, IT Striken in years. Heb. 
4 coming or entering into days.' See 
Gen. 18. 11. IT There remaineth 



22 h ThekingofKedesh,one; 
the king of Jokneam of Carmel, 
one ; 

23 The king of Dor in the 
'coast of Dor, one ; the king of 
k the nations of Gilgal, one ; 

24 The king of Tirzah, one : 
all the kings thirty and one. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

1VFOW Joshua a was old and 
stricken in years ; and the 
Lord said unto him, Thou art 
old and stricken in years, and 
there remaineth yet very much 
land to be possessed. 

2 b This is the land that yet 

h ch. 19. 37. i ch. 11. 2. "k Gen. 14. 1, 2. Is. 
9. 1. a Seech. 14 10. & 23. 1. bJud. 3. 1. 



yet very much land to be possessed. 
Heb. ' to possess it.' This is men- 
tioned to Joshua not as a reason for 
his continuing the war, but for sus- 
pending it, though to the Israelites 
the intimation would answer a dif- 
ferent purpose. They were admon- 
ished by it that they were still to hold 
themselves in readiness for prosecu- 
ting the war in due time, and not to 
think of putting off the harness as 
long as there remained any land to 
be possessed. But as to Joshua, at 
his advanced age he could not expect 
to see an end of the war. and there- 
fore it was expedient that he should 
lay aside other cares and make pre- 
paration at once for dividing the land 
among those tribes which had not 
yet received their inheritance. This 
work was to be done, and done speed- 
ily, and done moreover under the su- 
perintendance of Joshua. Conse- 
quently as he was now old, and not 
likely to continue long, he was to 
lose no time in setting about it. ' All 
people, but especially the aged, 
should set themselves to do that 
quickly which must be done before 
they die, lest death prevent them. 
Eccl.9. 10.' Henry. 



A. C. 1451.] 



CHAPTER XII. 



Ill 



remaineth : c all the borders of 
the Philistines, and ail d Geshuri, 
3 e From Sihor, which is be- 
fore Egypt, even unto the bor- 
ders of Ekron northward, which 
is counted to the Canaanite : f five 



c Joel 3. 4. 
e Jer. 2. 18. 
2. 5. 



dv. 13. 2 Sam. 3- 3. & 13. 37,3-. 
fjudtj. 3. 3. 1 S*m. 6. 4, 16. Zeph. 



2. The land that yet remaineth. 
That yet remaineth to be conquered. 
H All the borders of the Philistines. 
Lying on the southern coast of the 
Mediterranean. The Philistines 
are no where else mentioned among 
the devoted nations of Canaan, and 
the reason of their being enumerated 
here probably is, that their territo- 
ries formerly belonged to the Canaan- 
ites, who were driven away and sup- 
planted by them, Deut . 2. 23. View- 
ed in this light, therefore, as being 
originally and legitimately the coun- 
try of the Canaanites, the possessions 
of the Philistines were appointed to 
come into the hands of Israel. IT 
And all Geshuri. There were two 
places of this name. The one prob- 
ably intended here was situated in 
the half tribe of Manasseh, on the 
east of Jordan, and in the north-east- 
ern quarter of the promised land. 
As the Geshuriies were not extirpa- 
ted by the Israelites they continued 
even in the time of Absalom to be 
governed by their own princes, one 
of whom Talmai, had a daughter 
married to David, 2 Sam. 13. 37. 

3. Sihor. Frequently taken for 
the Nile, but probably more correctly 
understood of a stream forming the 
southern boundary of Canaan to- 
wards Eygpt, and falling into the sea 
on the south of Gaza. Dr. Richard- 
son describes a rivulet, in this re- 
gion, thirty yards wide, but nearly, if 
not altogether, dry in the summer. 
It, or rather its channel, is called 
Wady Gaza. IT Unto the borders 
of Ekron. One of the five lordships 
— Gaza, Ashdod, Askalon, Gath, and 
Ekron — belonging to the Philistines, 
and the most northern of all the dis- 
tricts they possessed, its territory be- 



lords of the Philistines ; the Gaz- 
athites, and the Ashdothites, the 
Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and 
the Ekronites ; also -the Avites : 
4 From the south all the land 
of the Canaanites, and Mearah. 

g Deut. 2. 23. 



ing the border of the land of Judah . 
The city of Ekron was situated about 
thirty four miles west of Jerusalem, 
ten miles north east of Ashdod, nine 
miles west by north of Gath, and ten 
miles east of the shore of the Medi- 
terranean. It is particularly mention- 
ed in Scripture as the seat of the ido- 
latrous worship of Baalzebub, or the 
' Lord of flies,' 2 Kings 1. 2, but the 
divine prediction against it, that c Ek- 
ron should be rooted up,' Zeph. 2. 4, 
has long since been accomplished, 
not even a single ruin of it remain- 
ing to mark the place where it stood. 
Am. 1.8. IT Which is counted to 
the Canaanites. Because the origi- 
nal possessors of this country were 
the descendants of Canaan, the 
youngest son of Ham. The Philis- 
tines sprung from Misraim, the se- 
cond son of Ham, and having dispos- 
sessed the Avites, or Avim, from the 
places they held in this land, dwelt 
in their stead. See Gen. 10. 13, 14. 
If Five lords. Petty princes. The 
term is put for the lordships them- 
selves, just as king is often used for 
kingdom. The original sarnaim, 
princes, literally signifies axles ; and 
so the Arab, for chief magistrate is 
Katbun, axis ; because public affairs 
and the people did, as it were, revolve 
round and depend upon him, as the 
parts of a wheel upon its axis. IT 
Also the Avites. The remnant of 
the tribe or clan of the Avims said 
in Deut. 2. 23, to have been expell- 
ed by the Caphthorim. The scat- 
tered relics of this people remained 
mixed up with the five Philistine 
lordships above mentioned. 

2. From the south, &c. The whole 
maritime country from the southern 
limits here mentioned, as far north 



112 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1451. 



that is beside the Sidonians, h un- 
t> Aphek to the borders of >the 
A mo rites : 

5 And the land of k the Gib- 
lites, and all Lebanon toward the 
sun-rising ifrom Baal -gad under 
mount Hermon unto the enter- 
ing into Hamath. 

6 All the inhabitants of the 

h ch. 19. 30. iSee Judff. 1.34. k 1 Kin. 5. IS- 
Ps. 83. 7. Ezek. 27. 9. 1 ch. 12 7. 

as to Sidon and some of the Amori- 
tish possessions in that quarter, is 
hereby made over in promise to Is- 
rael. Joshua himself does not appear 
to have made any conquests on the 
sea coast IT Mearah. Or, Heb. ' the 
cave;' by which Le Clerc under- 
stands the mountainous tract of Up- 
per Galilee, sometimes called the 
cave-country of the Sidonians, 
abounding in caves and fastnessess, 
which served as sheltering places in 
time of war, and as asylums also for 
roving bands of marauders. Jose- 
phus often speaks of such places in 
the bounds of the holy land ; and the 
Maronite monks of Canobin assured 
M. de la Roque, that among the 
mountains between which the river 
Kadisha runs, there were not less 
than eight hundred caves or grottos. 
Others suppose it to have been a 
single large and remarkable cave be- 
tween Sarepta and Sidon, described 
by William, Bishop of Tyre. This 
however is less likely. 

5. The land of the Giblitcs. The 
name of a people dwelling in Gebal, 
near Sidon. 1 Kings 5. 18. Ezek. 27. 
9. Their land was not given to the 
Israelites, because it lay without the 
precincts of Canaan. From among 
this people, Solomon employed a 
number of artists in the erection of 
the temple, 1 Kings 5. 18. They 
were also famed for ship-building, 
Ezek. 27. 9. It is supposed by many 
that the modern Byblus is the same 
as the ancient Gebal. They were 
certainly situated in the same re- 
gion. 

6. Them will I drive out. Theori- 



hill-country from Lebanon unto 
ra Misrephoth-maim, and all the 
Sidonians, them "will I drive out 
from before the children of Is- 
rael : only °divide thou it by lot 
unto the Israelites for an inher- 
itance, as I have commanded 
thee. 

7 Now therefore divide this 



ra ch. 11. 8. 
o ch. 14 1 2. 



nSee ch. 23. 13. Judg. 2 21,23. 



ginal is emphatic ; { It is / that will 
do it ; I who have all power, and am 
ever faithful ; I who have promised, 
and can and will perform.' Chald. 
1 1 will do it by my Word;' i. e. by 
my eternal Word, the Captain of the 
Lord's hosts. This, however, like 
other similar declarations, is to be 
understood conditionally. God never 
promised to put them in possession 
of the whole land, but upon condition 
of their fidelity to him. If they fail- 
ed in obedience, they would fail in 
becoming masters of the country. 
Accordingly we find that they never 
did actually possess the ichole land 
here assigned to them. The Sido- 
nians were never expelled by the Is- 
raelites, and were only brought into 
a state of comparative subjection in 
the days of David and Solomon. 
Joshua, however, notwithstanding 
the cavils of infidels actually did all 
that it was promised he should do. 
God never said that he should con- 
quer all the land, but simply that he 
should bring Israelinto it, and divide 
it among them, both which he did, 
and procured them footing by his 
conquests sufficient to have enabled 
them to establish themselves in it for- 
ever. Their failure to do so was ow- 
ing wholly to themselves. So we 
must work out our salvation de- 
pending upon God to work in us, and 
to work with us. We must resist our 
spiritual enemies, and look to God to 
trample themunder our feet. IT On- 
ly divide thou it by lot. Heb. ■ cast it, 
cause it to fall.' See note on Gen. 25. 
18. A phraseology derived from the 
casting of the lots by which its dis- 



CHAPTER XIII. 



A. C. 1450.] 

land for an inheritance unto the 
nine tribes, and the half-tribe of 
Manasseh, 

8 With whom the Reubenites 
and the Gadites have received 
their inheritance, Pwhich Moses 
gave them, beyond Jordan east- 
ward, even as Moses the servant 
of the Lord gave them ; 

9 From Aroer that is upon 
the bank of the river Arnon, and 
the city that is in the midst of 
the river, ^and all the plain of 
Medeba unto Dibon ; 

p Norn. 3*2. 33. Deut. 3. 12, 13. ch. 22- 4. q t. 16. 
Num. 21. 3U. 

tribution was governed. Joshua, no 
doubt, supposed that the land was 
first to be conquered, before it was di- 
vided, but here his mistake is cor- 
rected. The great Proprietor would 
have his people consider the country 
as even now theirs, and as a pledge 
of his purpose to give it them, di- 
rects that without further delay it be 
forthwith apportioned out among the 
tribes. This order would not only 
strengthen their assurance of the 
final possession of the land, but serve 
also as an incentive to prosecute the 
work of conquest with fresh vigor, 
and to keep themselves from all 
leagues and every kind of entangling 
connection which might obstruct the 
attainment of their ultimate object. 
So the exercise of a lively faith puts 
the Christian even now in possession 
of the heavenly Canaan, the land of 
his eternal inheritance. Of all such 
it may be truly said ; — 

4 They view the triumph from afar, 
And seize it with their eye. 

8. With whom. Heb. 'with him.' 
i. e. with the other half tribe of 
Manasseh, who were to have no 
part in Canaan proper, as their in- 
heritance had already fallen to them, 
on the other side of Jordan. The 
relative is put for an antecedent, 
which is to be supplied from the 
general tenor of the narrative, as in 
Num. 7, 89. Ps, 114. 2. Is. 8. 21. 



113 



10 And r all the cities of Sihon 
king of the Amorites, which 
reigned in Heshbon, unto the bor- 
der of the children of Ammon ; 

11 "And Gilead, and the bor- 
der of the Geshurites and Maac- 
hathites, and all mount Hermon, 
and all Bashan unto Salcah ; 

12 All the kingdom of Og in 
Bashan, which reigned in Ash- 
taroth and in Edrei, who remain- 
ed of tthe remnant of the giants* 
u For these did Moses smite, and 
cast them out. 

r Num. 21. 24.25. a ch. 12 5. t Deut. 3. 11- 
ch 12. 4. n Num. 21. 24, 35. 

Jer. 1. 3. The speaker here and 
henceforward is not God, whose 
words terminate with v. 7, but the 
historian, who takes occasion to re- 
hearse the allotment made by Moses 
to the two tribes and a half on the 
other side Jordan, in order that the 
reader might understand the reason 
why nothing is said of them, in the 
distribution now to be made by Josh- 
ua, but the whole land on this side 
the river is ordered to be given to the 
nine tribes and a half. The other 
two and a half had been already pro- 
vided for ; and the restatement of the 
fact here, in the formal record of the 
division of the land, would serve to 
ratify, in the strongest manner, the 
grant formerly made by Moses. As 
he had settled the affair, so Joshua 
would leave it. He would not alter 
what Moses had done, and the reason 
why he would not, is intimated in 
the fact that Moses was ' the servant 
of the Lord,' faithful in all his house, 
and acting in this matter by a secret 
direction from him. 

9. The city that is in the midst of 
the river. For the true meaning of 
the expression, ' in the midst of the 
river,' see note on ch. 12. 2. Judg- 
ing from the reports of travelers, 
we see no reason to believe that 
such an inconsiderable stream as 
Arnon, a mere rivulet, contained an 
island large enough for the site of 



114 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1445. 



13 Nevertheless, the children 
of Israel expelled x not the Gesh- 
urites, nor the Maachathites : but 
the Geshurites and the Maacha- 
thites dwell among the Israelites 
until this day. 

14 yQnly unto the tribe of 
Levi he gave none inheritance ; 

x v. 11. y Num. 18. 20, 23, 24. ch. 14. 3, 4. 



a city. These verses from v. 9 to 
14, comprise a general description 
of the whole country given to the 
two tribes and a half. The remain- 
der of the chapter is occupied with 
a detailed account of the several dis- 
tricts allotted to each. Here in v. 
9, taking ' city' and ' river,' accord- 
ing to the common Heb. idiom, as 
the collect, sing, for the plur. we 
conceive the writer's drift is to say, 
that beginning at Aroer Moses gave 
to the two tribes and a half all the 
cities lying betioeen the several rivers 
mentioned ch. 12. 1, 2, together with 
all the plain or champagne country 
of Medeba even to Dibon. These, 
in the next verse, are called the 
cities of Sihon, because they lay 
within his territories. 

13. The children of Israel expelled 
not the Geshurites, &c. Spoken ap- 
parently by way of reflection upon 
the Israelites who succeeded Moses, 
for their remissness in driving out 
these nations. The failure of Mo- 
ses to make a clean riddance of 
them at his first conquest might be 
entirely excusable, as he was in- 
tent upon reaching Canaan, and 
could not well subject himself to 
the delay necessary for their com- 
plete extermination. But this plea 
would not hold after Canaan was 
entered. The tribes ought to have 
gone forward at once and finished 
the work which Moses had begun. 
Instead of this, it is related to their 
disgrace, that they still suffered these 
people to dwell among them down 
to the time when this history was 
written. The spirit of inspiration 
discovers, if we may so speak, a won- 
derful tact, both in administering 



the sacrifices of the Lord God 
of Israel made by fire are their 
inheritance, z as he said unto 
them. 

15 IT And Moses gave unto 
the tribe of the children of Reu- 
ben inheritance according to 
their families. 



censure and bestowing praise. In- 
stances of both, managed with the 
most consummate skill, abound in 
the compass of the sacred scrip- 
tures. 

14. Unto the tribe of Levi he gave 
no inheritance. See on Num. 18. 
20 — 24. IT The sacrifices made by 
fire. The term is to be understood 
in a large sense, including not only 
all the oblations of which any part 
was burnt, but also the first fruits 
and tithes assigned to the Levites 
for their support. This is repeat- 
ed again v. 43, to intimate that the 
Levites had as good a title to their 
tithes and perquisites, as the rest 
of their brethren had to their es- 
tates, and also to enjoin upon the 
tribes a cheerful and conscientious 
compliance with the will of God 
in this respect. Withholding their 
dues from the Levites he consid- 
ered as no less then actually rob- 
bing himself. 

15. Moses gave unto the tribe of 
the children of Reuben. The writer 
now enters upon a minute specifi- 
cation of the portions assigned by 
lot to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, 
and the half tribe of Manasseh. 
This is very fully and exactly de- 
tailed. On this mode of assigning 
to the children their inheritances, 
and on this account of it, it may be 
remarked, (1.) That it was the 
most equitable and satisfactory meth- 
od that could be adopted. Had the 
distribution been made by arbitrary 
appointment, as all could not re~ 
ceive portions equally good, some 
would probably have complained 
that their brethren were better dealt 
by than themselves. Dividing the 



A. C. 1445.] 



CHAPTER XIII. 



115 



16 And their coast was a from 
Aroer that is on the bank of the 
river Arnon, b and the city that 
is in the midst of the river, c and 
all the plain by Medeba : 

17 Heshbon, and all her ci- 
ties that are in the plain ; Dibon, 
and Bamoth-baal, and Beth- 
baal-meon, 

18 d And Jahaza, and Kede- 
moth, and Mephaath, 

19 e And Kirjalhaim, and 
f Sibmah, and Zareth-shahar in 
the mount of the valley, 

20 And Beth-peor, and & Ash- 
doth-pisgah,and Beth-jeshimoth, 

21 h And all the cities of the 

a Ch. 12 2. b Num. 21. 28. c Num. 21. 30. v. 9. 
(1 Num. 21 23. e Num. 32- 37. fNum. 32. 38. 
g Ueu . 3 17. ch. 12. 3. h Deut 3. 10 



land by lot, therefore, by cutting 
off all pretence for the charge of 
favoritism on the part of Moses, 
the readiest way of satisfying all 
parties, and preventing discontent 
and discord (2.) The several al- 
lotments are here very minutely 
detailed in orde* that litigation 
growing out of disputed bounda- 
ries might ever after be prevented. 
When the limits of each tribe were 
so clearly settled, there could be 
little room for contending claims, 
or if there were, an authentic reg- 
ister of the lot of each tribe would 
be at hand to be appealed to for a 
decision, and there is no doubt that 
it was often made use of in after 
ages for this purpose. We cannot 
but learn from this the great im- 
portance of devising every prudent 
method to prevent litigations about 
property. (3.) The reading of this 
account by succeeding generations 
would tend to excite a very deep 
and lively impression of the good- 
ness of God in bestowing upon 
their ancestors, for the benefit of 
their posterity, such a large and 
fertile country, an inheritance so re- 
plete with all the worldly blessings 



plain, and all the kingdom of Si- 
hon king of the Amorites which 
reigned in Heshbon, ivvhom Mo- 
ses smote k with the princes of 
Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and 
Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which 
were dukes of Sihon, dwelling 
in the country. 

22 IF iBalaam also the son of 
Beor, the sooth -sayer, did the 
children of Israel slay with the 
sword, among them that were 
slain by them. 

23 And the border of the 
children of Reuben was Jordan, 
and the border thereof. This 
was the inheritance of the chil- 



i Num. 21. 24. 
& 31. 8. 



which heart could wish. ' God's 
grants look best, when we descend 
to the particulars.' Henry. IT Ac- 
cording to their families. As every 
tribe had its inheritance divided 
by lot ; so it is probable, that af- 
terwards the subdivisions to every 
family and each individual were 
regulated in the same manner. Thus 
their estates would descend to pos- 
terity, not so much as the inherit- 
ance of their fathers, as that which 
the Lord had immediately assign- 
ed them. They could thus say, 
with the Psalmist, Ps. 16. 5, 6, 
1 The Lord is the portion of mine 
inheritance and of my cup: thou 
maintainest my lot. The lines are 
fallen unto me in pleasant places ; 
I have a goodly heritage.' 

21. Dukes of Sihon. Probably so 
called because they had been his tri- 
butaries, subject to his jurisdiction. 
They are indeed called 'kings of 
Midian ' in Num. 31.8, but by ' kings' 
in the sacred writings we are often 
to understand no more than mere 
petty chieftains, who might be at the 
same time subject to some more po- 
tent sovereign. See Gen. 14. 1, 2. 

22. Balaam also — did the children, 



lid 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1445, 



dren of Reuben, after their fam- 
ilies, the cities and the villages 
thereof* 

24 And Moses gave inheri- 
tance unto the tribe of Gad, even 
unto the children of Gad accord- 
ing to their families. 

25 m And their coast was Ja- 
zer, and all the cities of Gilead, 
n and half the land of the chil- 
dren of Ammon, unto Aroer that 
is before °Rabbah ; 

26 And from Heshbon unto 
Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim ; 
and from Mahanaim unto the 
border of Debir ; 

27 And in the valley, pBeth- 
aram, and Beth-nimrah, ^and 
Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of 
the kingdom of Sihon king of 
Heshbon, Jordan and his border, 
even unto the edge r of the sea of 
Cinneroth, on the other side Jor- 
dan eastward. 

28 This is the inheritance of 
the children of Gad after their 
families, the cities, and their vil- 
lages. 

29 IT And Moses gave inher- 
itance unto the half. tribe of Ma- 
nasseh : and this was the posses- 
sion of the half-tribe of the chil- 

m Num. 32- 35- n Compare Num. 21.26, 28, 29, 
wilh Deut. K. 19. & Judg. 11. 13 15, &c. o 2 Sam- 
11 . I. & 12 26. p Nam. 32 36. q Gen. 33. 17. 

I Kings 7. 46. r Num. 34.11. 



of Israel slay. He fell with those 
who instigated him to his wicked- 
ness. ' This was recorded before, 
Num. 31.8, but is repeated here, be- 
cause the defeating of Balaam's pur- 
pose to curse Israel was the turning 
of that curse into a blessing, and was 
such an instance of the power and 
goodness of God as was fit to be 
had in everlasting remembrance.' 
Henry. 



dren of Manasseh by their fam- 
ilies. 

30 And their coast was from 
Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the 
kingdom of Og king of Bashan, 
and 8 all the towns of Jair, which 
are in Bashan, threescore cities : 

31 And half Gilead, and 
tAshtaroth, and Edrei, cities of 
the kingdom of Og in Bashan, 
were pertaining unto the children 
of Machir the son of Manasseh, 
even to the one half of the "chil- 
dren of Machir by their families. 

32 These are the countries 
which Moses did distribute for 
inheritance in the plains of Moab, 
on the other side Jordan by Jer- 
icho eastward. 

33 *But unto the tribe of Le- 
vi, Moses gave not any inheri- 
tance : the Lord God of Israel 
was their inheritance, ?as he said 
unto them. 



CHAPTER XIV. 
A ND these are the countries 
■*■*• which the children of Israel 
inherited in the land of Canaan, 
a which Eleazar the priest, and 
Joshua the son of Nun, and the 
heads of the fathers of the tribes 

r Num 32. 41. IChron. 2. 23. t ch. 12. 4, 

u Num. 32. 39, 40. x v. 14. ch. 18. 7. y Num. 
18. 20. Deut. 10. 9. & 18. I, 2. a Num. 34. 17, 
18. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

1. These are the countries, &c. 
The historian having, in the prece- 
ding chapter, given an account of 
the disposal of the countries on the 
other side of Jordan, comes now to 
state the allotments made to the re- 
maining nine tribes and a half in the 
bounds of Canaan proper. The di- 
rections which Moses had formerly 
given Num. 36. 53 — 56, respecting 



A. C. 1444-] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



117 



of the children of Israel distri- 
buted for inheritance to them. 

2 b By lot was their inheri- 
tance, as the Lord commanded 
by the hand of Moses, for the 
nine tribes, and for the half-tribe. 

3 c For Moses had given the 
inheritance of two tribes and a 
half-tribe on the other side Jor- 
dan : but unto the Levites he 
gave none inheritance among 
them. 

4 For d the children of Joseph 
were two tribes, Manasseh and 
Ephraim : therefore they gave 



b Num. 26. 55. ft 33. 54. & 34. 13. 
32,33. dGen. 48. 5. IChr. 5. 1,2. 



cch. 13. 8, 



the mode of making this distribu- 
tion are now to be punctually ob- 
served. Previously to entering up- 
on the account of this division, the 
writer premises two or three things 
which fall in here more properly 
than any where else, as that the Le- 
vites were not comprehended in the 
grant made to the tribes ; that the 
tribe of Joseph was reckoned as two ; 
and that Caleb had given to him at 
his request a certain tract of country 
which had been before promised by 
Moses. IT The fieads of the fathers 
of the tribes. That is, heads or chief 
men among the fathers of the tribes. 
These were twelve in number, in- 
cluding Joshua and Eleazer. They 
had been before expressly appointed 
by Moses, Num. 34. 19. This was 
done that every tribe, having a re- 
presentative of its own, might be sa- 
tisfied that there was fair dealing, 
and might consequently abide more 
contentedly by its lot. 

2. By lot was their inheritance. 
This distribution by lot was overrul- 
ed by a special providenee, so as to 
correspond with the inspired predic- 
tions of Jacob and Moses, respecting 
the allotment of each tribe. The 
fact is very remarkable, yet unques- 
tionable, that the tribes found them- 
selves placed by lot in the very sec- 
11 



no part unto the Levites in the 
land, save cities to dwell in, with 
their suburbs for their cattle, and 
for their substance. 

5 e As the Lord commanded 
Moses, so the children of Israel 
did, and they divided the land. 

6 1T Then the children of Ju- 
dah came unto Joshua in Gilgal : 
and Caleb the son of Jephunneh 
the f Kenezite said unto him, 
Thou knowest ethe thing that the 
Lord said unto Moses the man 
of God concerning me and thee 
h in Kadesh-barnea. 

e N>im. 35. 2. ch. 21. 2. f Num. 32. 12. & ch. 

15. 17. g Num. 14. 24, 30. Deut. 1. 36, 38 h Num. 
13.26- 

tions of the country, which Jacob 
had foretold two hundred and fifty 
years before, and Moses shortly be- 
fore his death. Comp. Gen. 49. and 
Deut. 33. To Judah fell a country 
abounding in vineyards and pastures; 
to Zebulon, sea-coasts ; to Issachar, 
a rich plain between ranges of moun- 
tains ; to Asher, one abounding in 
plenty of oil, wheat £ and metals ; and 
so of the others. See Masius and 
Calmet for more particular details. 

4. The children of Joseph were two 
tribes. That is, had a double portion 
or the portion of two tribes. By 
Joseph's being reckoned two tribes, 
the nation was made to consist of 
twelve tribes, though Levi was ex- 
cluded. 

5. And they divided the land. They 
entered upon the business of divid- 
ing it; they took the preliminary 
measures; they consulted together 
and settled the manner in which it 
should be done. The actual divid- 
ing took place afterwards. It must 
have required a considerable time to 
make all the geographical arrange- 
ments necessary for this purpose. 

6. Then the children of Judah came. 
' Then' — while they w'ere at Gilgal 
preparing to make the division, 
which it seems was finished at Shilo. 
ch. 18. 1. The thread of the narra- 



118 



JOSHUA. 



I AXJ. 1444. 



7 Forty years old wa5 I when 
Moses the servant of the Lord 
*sent me from Kadesh-barnea to 
espy out the land ; arid I brought 
him word again as it was in my 
heart. 



i Num. '-13. 6. ft 14.6. 



tion is again interrupted to introduce 
the digression concerning the allot- 
ment of Caleb. The children of Ju- 
dah, that is, probably, the heads and 
chief men, accompanied Caleb, who 
belonged to the same tribe, in order to 
testify their consent to the measure, 
and to aid and countenance him in 
obtaining the object of his request. 
As Caleb was one of the twelve 
whom God had chosen to superin- 
tend the partition of the land, Num. 
34. 12, it might seem, if he came un- 
attended, that he designed to take ad- 
vantage of his authority as a com- 
missioner to promote his private in- 
terest; he therefore takes his breth- 
ren along with him to preclude 
any such imputation. Some suppose 
that this transaction took place pre- 
vious to the siege and capture of 
Hebron related ch. 10. 36, 37, and 
that the expedition detailed its minute 
particulars, in ch. 15. 13 — 15, is there 
barely touched upon, or described in 
the most general manner. The fact, 
however, that the application of Ca- 
leb was made to Joshua at Gilgal, 
and not while he was pursuing his 
conquests over the south of Canaan, 
seems decisive against this opinion. 
If Thou knoioest the thing, &c. Ca- 
leb probably alludes to what is said 
Num. 14. 24, { But my servant Caleb 
him will I bring into the land where- 
into he went ; and his seed shall pos- 
sess it.' Deut. 1. 36, ' Caleb the son 
of Jephunneh, to him will I give the 
land that he hath trodden upon, and 
to his children, because he hath 
wholly followed the Lord.' This 
seems to be spoken, not of the land 
of promise in general, but of some 
particular district to which he had 
penetrated when sent out by Moses. 
This, undoubtedly, was Hebron, 



8 Nevertheless, k my breth- 
ren that went up with me made 
the heart of the^ people melt: but 
I wholly ifollowed the Lord my 
God. 

9 And Moses sware on that 



kNum. 13.31,32. Deut. l.S 
Deut. I. 35. 



1 Num. 14 24. 



Num. 13. 22, and was so understood 
by all parties at the time. The pro- 
mise then made- by God to Moses he 
now pleads ; and what can he more 
confidently expected than the fulfil- 
ment of His gracious word % There 
is more presumption in declining 
and neglecting his promises, than in 
urging their performance. 

7. Brought him ivord again as it 
was inmine heart. Made a true and 
honest statement; spake sincerely; 
uttered the real sentiments of my 
heart. His conscience bore him wit- 
ness and now enabled him to say, 
that neither fear nox favor influenced 
him on the occasion ; he told what 
he believed to be the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth. It 
has been remarked in this connec- 
tion, that Caleb's name signifies, ac- 
cording to the heart. 

8. I wholly folloioed the Lord. Heb* 
' fulfilled after the Lord.' Arab. ' I 
perfected my obedience before the 
Lord my God.' On the import of 
this expression, see note on Num. 
14. 24. As he had obtained this tes- 
timony from God himself, it was not 
vain glory for him to speak of it, 
especially as this was the main 
ground on which he had become en- 
titled to the object of his petition. It 
is not pride, but simply a tribute of 
due acknowledgment, to declare 
what a gracious God has done for 
us and by us. c They that follow 
God fully when they are young, 
shall have both the credit and com- 
fort of it when they are old, and the 
reward of it for ever, in the heaven- 
ly Canaan.' Henry. It was peculi- 
arly to the honor of Caleb that he 
maintained such an unbending fide- 
lity to God when his brethren and 
associates in that service, except 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



110 



day saying, m Surely the land 
n whereon thy feet have trodden 
shall be thine inheritance, and 
thy children's for ever ; because 
thou hast wholly followed the 
Lord my God. 

10 And now, behold, the 
Lord hath kept me alive, °as he 
said, these forty and five years, 
even since the Lord spake this 
word unto Moses, while tlie chiL 

m Num. 14. 23. 21 Dent. 1. 35. ch 1. 3. n See 
Num. 13. 22. o "urn. 14. 3'>. 

Joshua, proved so faithless and faint- 
hearted. ' It adds much to the praise 
of following God, if we adhere to 
him when others desert and decline 
from him.' Henry. 

9. Moses sware on that day. See 
Num. 14. 24. Deut. 1. 36. In these 
passages God himself is the speaker ; 
and it is he that swears according to 
the words here recited. But as 
Moses was the organ through whom 
the assured promise was conveyed, 
the swearing is attributed to him. 
IT The land wherein thy feet have 
trodden. Not the land of Canaan in 
general but this particular, this 
identical district. See on v. 6. 

10. Hath kept me alive. Heb. l hath 
vivified me.' See on ch. 6. 25. Ac- 
cording to our previous interpreta- 
tion it implies that he was kept alive, 
when, in the ordinary course of 
things, he would have been dead ; 
that it was in despite of the tenden- 
cies of nature to decay and dissolu- 
tion that he now stood among the 
living in so much health and strength. 
His present existence was a kind of 
resurrection from the dead. The 
longer we live, the more sensible 
should we be of the special uphold- 
ing hand of Providence in prolong- 
ing our frail and forfeited lives. 
IT These forty and five years. Of 
which thirty-eight were spent in the 
wilderness, and seven in the prose- 
cution of the wars in Canaan. H 
Wandered in the wilderness. Heb. 
1 walked.' As a punishmerft for 
their unbelief and rebellion. % ho, 



dren of Israel wandered in the 
wilderness : and now, lo, I am 
this day fourscore and five years 

old: 

1 1 p As yet I am as strong this 
day, as I was in the day that 
Moses sent me : as my strength 
mas then, even so is my strength 
now, for war, both Ho go out, 
and to come in. 

12 Now therefore give me 

p See Deut. 34. 7. q Dent. 31. 2. 



I am this day four score and five 
years old. Heb. ' a son of four-score 
and five years.' Caleb was now, 
with the exception of Joshua, not 
only the oldest man in all Israel, but 
was- twenty years older than any of 
them ; for all that were above twenty 
when he was forty, had died in the 
wilderness. l It was fit, therefore, 
that this phoenix of his age should 
have some particular marks of honor 
put upon him in the dividing of the 
land.' Henry. 

11. As my strength was then, so is 
my strength now. My ability not 
only for counsel, but for action, re- 
mains unimpaired ; I am as compe- 
tent as ever for the hard services 
and difficult exploits of war. He 
mentions this, both to give glory to 
God who was the strength as well as 
the length of his days, and also to 
intimate to Joshua that it would not 
be throwing away a portion upon a 
weak old man who was unequal to the 
task of either taking or retaining it. 
On the contrary, even if it were to 
be taken from the hands of giants, 
and should require the utmost prow- 
ess, energy and nerve of the youth- 
ful warrior, he was still able to put 
it forth. He was not afraid to cope 
at eighty with the same power which 
he would readily have encountered 
at forty. — If we would make sure of 
a ' green old age ' let us begin early 
to follow the Lord fully. It is .usu- 
ally the excesses of youth which 
bring on the premature decay of the 
bodily and mental powers. It is pre- 



120 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1445. 



this mountain, whereof the Lord 
spake in that day ; for thou 
heardest in that day how r the 
Anakims were there, and that the 



r Num. 13. 23. 3i, 



cisely that sobriety, temperance, and 
moderation which religion enjoins, 
that secures to us the longest contin- 
uance and the highest enjoyment of 
life, health, and strength ; and these 
habits cannot begin to be practised 
too early. IT Both to go out and to 
come in. A proverbial phrase, equiv- 
alent to performing all the duties be- 
longing to an official station. See 
on Num. 27. 17. 

12. Give me this mountain. Not 
any particular mountain, but this 
mountainous tract or region; for 
such was eminently the country 
about Hebron. He does not men- 
tion and cannot mean the city of 
Hebron alone, which had been be- 
fore taken by Joshua, but he includ- 
ed in his request all the adjacent 
country, to the caves and strong 
holds of which the Anakim had re- 
tired, and where they were now 
abiding in considerable force. The 
city itself fell afterwards to the lot 
of the Levites, ch. 21. 13, and be- 
came a city of refuge, ch. 20. 7. 
* When Caleb had it, he contented 
himself with the country about it, 
and cheerfully gave the" city to the 
priests, the Lord's ministers ; think- 
ing it could not be better bestowed, 
no, not upon his own children, nor 
that it was the less his own for being 
thus devoted to God.' Henry. He- 
bron, at a still later period, became a 
royal city, being made in the begin- 
ning of David's reign the metropo- 
lis of the king dom of Judah. IT 
For thou heardest — how the Anakims 
were there. This, it would seem, 
was the place from which more than 
any other the spies took their unfa- 
vorable report; for here they met 
with the sons of Anak, the sight of 
whom so much intimidated them. 
1 We may suppose that Caleb, ob- 
serving what stress they laid upon 



cities were great and fenced : 
8 if so be the Lord will be with 
me, then l I shall be able to drive 
them out, as the Lord said. 

s Ps. 18. 32, 34. Si. 60. 12. Kom. 8. 31. t ch. 15. 
14. Judg 1. 20. 



the difficulty of conquering Hebron, 
a city garrisoned by the giants, and 
how from thence they inferred that 
the conquest of the whole land was 
utterly impracticable, bravely de- 
sired to have that city which they 
called invincible assigned to himself 
for his own portion ; ' 1 will under- 
take to deal with that, and if 1 can- 
not get it for my inheritance, I will 
do without.' ' Well,' said Moses, 
' it shall be thine own then, win it 
and wear it.' Henry. Such is the 
spirit of the true christian hero. All 
indeed are not such, but some are ; 
and he who is, is not only -willing, 
but forward, in the strength of God, 
to encounter the most formidable 
enemies and the most apparently in- 
superable obstacles in working out 
the will of his heavenly Master. If 
there is any enterprise of peculiar 
difficulty to be undertaken, or any 
post of especial danger to be occu- 
pied, he is prompt to volunteer his 
services for the occasion. Not that 
he courts the perilous work, merely 
for the purpose of a vain-glorious 
display of courage or skill, but 
because he wishes to honor God by 
his faith ; to give him an opportu- 
nity, through such an humble instru- 
ment, to glorify his great name and 
confound the infidelity of his ene- 
mies and his timorous friends. In 
one who feels the missionary im- 
pulse, this Caleb-like spirit will 
prompt to a fearless survey of the 
whole field, and if there be any spot 
which is at once promising and yet 
appalling, desirable and yet dread- 
ful ; a spot where the greatest force 
of heathen -opposition is concentrat- 
ed ; that is the spot which will be 
really most attractive in his eye. 
Its difficulties and dangers will be 
among its highest recommendations. 
This spirit shone conspicuously in 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



Ml 



13 And Joshua "blessed him, 
x and gave unto Caleb the son of 
Jephunneh, Hebron for an inher- 
itance. 

14 y Hebron therefore became 
the inheritance of Caleb the son of 
Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this 
day ; because that he z wholly fol- 
lowed the Lord God of Israel. 

u ch. 22. 6 x ch. 10. 37. & IS. 13. Judg. I. 20. 

See ch. 21. 11, 12. 1 Chr. 6. 55, 56. y ch. 21. 12. 
x ▼. 3, 9. 



15 And a the name of Hebron 
before was Kirjath-arba ; which 
Arba was a great man among 
the Anakims. b And the land 
had rest from war. 



Paul in the whole course of his life 
and labors, and on one occasion we 
see it nobly expressing itself in so 
many words, when he says of Ephe- 
sus, ' A great and effectual door is 
opened unto me, and many adver- 
saries.'' The ' adversaries ' were no 
doubt among the special induce- 
ments that prompted him to enter 
that field. It is cause of gratitude 
to God that there are such spirits 
still to be found in the world, and 
that as long as there shall be sons of 
Anak on earth to intimidate the 
fearful, there shall be also sons of 
Caleb to grapple with and destroy 
them. IT If so be the Lord will be 
with Trie, &c. Chal. 'perhaps the 
Word of the Lord will be for my 
help.' The ardor of a bold native 
temperament is here moderated by 
the workings of a spirit of con- 
scious unworthiness and of humble 
depen dance on the divine blessing. 
Caleb in these words virtually ac- 
knowledges that the battle is not to 
the strong nor the race to the swift, 
and that the favorable presence of 
God with us in our undertakings is 
all in all to our success. The ex- 
pression is not to be understood as 
implying any doubt in his mind of 
God's readiness to assist him, biu 
simply as a disclaimer of exclusive 
reliance on his own unaided prow- 
ess. It is the language of one who 
feels that an arm of flesh, even all 
the forces of Israel combined, with- 
out the blessing of heaven, would be 
powerless to accomplish the desired 
result. 

11* 



CHAPTER XV. 

r pHIS then was the lot of the 
tribe of the children of Ju- 



a Gen. 23,2. ch. 15. 13. 



13. And Joshua blessed him. That 
is, not only granted his request, but 
applauded his brave and enterpris- 
ing spirit, and implored the blessing 
of God upon him in reference to his 
proposed undertaking. 

14.. Because that he wholly follow- 
ed the Lord God of Israel. ' Singu- 
lar piety shall be crowned with sin- 
gular favors.' Henry, 

15. Kirjath-arba. That is, the 
city of Arba, the name of an indi- 
vidual distinguished either for his re- 
markable bodily stature and strength, 
or his power and authority, or per- 
haps both, among the Anakims. IT 
And the land had rest from war. 
There were no more general wars. 
The inhabitants of Canaan could 
make no longer any head against 
the power of Israel. Being dis- 
jointed and broken they could no 
longer rally in such force as to 
make it necessary for the whole 
Israelitish body to go against them 
in a general campaign. This may 
be considered as the genuine sense 
of the expression, though it be ad- 
mitted that there were afterwards 
particular wars,, arising from the 
attempts of each tribe to expel the 
ancient inhabitants still remaining 
in their respective territories. 

CHAPTER XV. 

1. This then was the lot, &c. The 
account of the partition of the land 
which was commenced ch. 14. 1 — 5, 
was interrupted by the mention of 
Caleb's application to Joshua for 
Hebron as his inheritance, and that 



122 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1443. 



dab by their families ; K even to 
the border of Edom,the b wilder- 



fa Num. 33. 36. 



being dispatched, the writer here re- 
turns from the digression^ and re- 
sumes the thread of his -narrative re- 
specting the allotment of the tribes. 
On this part of the history it may be 
remarked, (1.) That the business 
of casting lots on this occasion was 
undoubtedly conducted with great 
seriousness and solemnity, and with 
devout prayer to God, whose is the 
disposal of the lot, that he would 
overrule it all to his own glory and 
*he accomplishment of his wise pur- 
poses. (2.) That although an exact 
survey of the land was not taken till 
some time after this 7 ch. 18. 4, 5, yet 
some general view of it must have 
been obtained, and some rude 
draught have been spread before 
them, sufficient, at least, to have en- 
abled them to divide the land into 
nine and a half portions, with more 
or less accuracy. (SL) That the re- 
spective lots did not, at this time, so 
peremptorily and unchangeably de- 
termine the bounds of each tribe, that 
they could not subsequently be either 
contracted or enlarged, or otherwise 
altered ; for it is evident from what 
follows, ch. 19, 9, that after Judah's 
Jot was fixed, Simeon's was taken 
out of it. It would seem, in fact, that 
the first designation of the portions 
of the several tribes was quite vague 
and general, but that the limits of 
each were afterwards adjusted and 
settled by Joshua and the elders, with 
as much precision as the nature of 
the case would admit. (4.) As to 
the manner in which the casting of 
lots took place on this occasion, 
though we are not expressly inform- 
ed, yet the probability is, that after 
the land was geographically divided 
into the requisite number of portions, 
these portions properly labelled, or 
otherwise distinguished, were put 
into one urn or pot, and the names of 
the several tribes into another ; that 
then Joshua, for example, put his 
hand into the vessel containing the 
names of the tribes and took out one 



ness of Zin southward was the 
uttermost part of the south coast. 



slip, while Eleazer took out one from 
the other vessel, in which the names 
of the portions were put j whereupon 
the name drawn and the portion 
drawn being read, it was at once de- 
termined what portion was to be ap- 
propriated to such a tribe ; and so of 
the rest. It is probable, however, 
that this plan was adopted, on the pre- 
sent occasion, only in respect to the two 
large and principal tribes of Judah 
and Joseph, as they were now at Gil- 
gal, and the division certainly was 
not completed till after they arrived 
at Shilo, ch. 18. 1, 2. In reference, 
therefore, to this mode of drawing 
out the lots from the bottom of the 
urns, the phraseology of a lot's ' com- 
ing up 1 or ' coming forth,' became 
established. IT The lot of the tribe 
of the children of Judah. By the spe- 
cial disposition of providence the lot 
of Judah came up first, in token of 
the pre-eminence of that tribe over 
the rest. This distinction hereby re- 
ceived the divine sanction. IT Even 
to the border of Edom. The geogra- 
phy of the sacred writings presents 
many difficulties, occasioned by the 
many changes which the civil state 
of the promised land has undergone, 
especially for the last two thousand 
years. Many of the ancient towns 
and villages have had their names 
so totally changed, that their former 
appellations are no longer discern- 
ible-, several lie buried under their 
own ruins ; and others have been so 
long destroyed that not one vestige of 
them remains. On these accounts, it 
is very difficult to ascertain the situ- 
ation of many of the places, mention- 
ed in this and the following chapters. 
Yet the ancient appellations of many 
of these localities may still be detect- 
ed in modified forms under the mod- 
ern names, and the sites of a greater 
number of them satisfactorily deter- 
mined, than would at first seem prac- 
ticable. This portion of the sacred 
story cannot of course be so interest- 
ing, or so profitable to the general 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



123 



2 And their south border was 
from the shore of the salt sea, 
from the bay that looketh south- 
ward : 

3 And it went out to the south 
side c to Maaleh-acrabbim, and 
passed along to Zin, and as- 
cended up on the south side un- 
to Kadesh-barnea, and passed 
along to Hezron, and went up 
to Adar, and fetched a compass 
to Karkaa : 

4 From thence it passed d to- 



d Num. 34. 5. 



reader as details of another charac- 
ter, and we shall not therefore en- 
large upon it in our remarks, but as 
many of the places here mentioned, 
are frequently alluded to in the sub- 
sequent history and the prophets, 
this enumeration is important, as en- 
abling us oftentimes to determine 
their situation ; and it need not be 
observed that the geography of a 
country is of the utmost importance 
in illustrating itshistory. The quaint 
remark of Henry, therefore, on this 
subject is deserving of attention, that 
* we are not to skip over these chap- 
ters of hard names, as useless and not 
to be regarded; where God has a 
mouth to speak and a hand to write, 
we should find an ear to hear and an 
eye to read.' As it respects the lot 
of Judah, as here marked out, it was 
bounded on the south, by the wilder- 
ness of Sin and the southern coast of 
the Salt Sea ; on the east by that sea, 
reaching to the place at which it re- 
ceives the waters of the Jordan ; on 
the north, by a line drawn nearly 
parallel to Jerusalem, across from 
the northern extremity of the Salt 
Sea to the south boundary of the Phi- 
listines and to the Mediterranean 
Sea; which sea was its western 
boundary, as far as the river of 
Egypt. Joshua is particular in giv- 
ing the limits of this tribe, as being 
the first, the most numerous, the most 
important, that which was to furnish 
the kings of Judea, that in which 



ward Azmon, and went out unto 
the river of Egypt ; and the go- 
ings out of that coast were at the 
sea: this shall be your south 
coast. 

5 And the east border was 
the salt sea, even unto the end 
of Jordan : and their border in 
the north quarter was from the 
bay of the sea, at the uttermost 
part of Jordan : 

6 And the border went up to 
e Beth-hogla, and passed along 



pure religion was to be preserved, 
and that from which the Messiah 
was to spring. As this portion, how- 
ever, contained nearly half the south- 
ern part of Canaan, it was after- 
wards found too extensive, and the 
possessions of Simeon and Dan were 
taken out of it. 

2. From the bay that looketh south- 
ward. Heb. 'the tongue,' i. e. a gulf, 
bay, or arm of the sea. The like 
phrase occurs Is. 11. 15, ' The Lord 
shall utterly destroy the tongue of the 
Egyptian Sea.' The southern extre- 
mity of the Dead Sea, as laid down 
on the best maps, answers in its form 
to this description. The term among 
us is generally applied to a jutting 
promontory of land. 

3. Maaleh-acrabbim. Heb. 'the 
ascent of (the mount of) scorpions ;' 
probably so called from the multi- 
tude of those animals found there. 
H Kadesh-barnea. Called En-mish- 
pat, Gen. 14. 7. It was on the edge 
of the wilderness of Paran, and about 
twenty-four miles from Hebron. 
Here Miriam the sister of Moses and 
Aaron died; and here Moses and 
Aaron rebelled against the Lord; 
whence the place was called Meri- 
bah-Kadesh, or contention of Kadesh. 

5. Unto the end of Jordan. The 
mouth of Jordan ; the place where it 
discharges itself into the Dead Sea. 

6. Beth-arabah. Heb. ■ house of 
solitude ;' perhaps so called from the 
loneliness and dreariness of the 



124 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



by the north of Beth-arabah ; 
and the border went up f to the 
stone of Bohan the son of Reu- 
ben : 

7 And the border went up to- 
ward Debir from &the valley of 
Achor, and so northward look- 
ing toward Gilgal, that is before 
the going up to Adummim, 
which is on the south side of the 
river : and the border passed to- 
ward the waters of En-shemesh, 

fch. 18. 17. gch. 7.26. 



place. TT The stone of Bohan. A 
Reubenite, and probably a distin- 
guished commander of the forces of 
that tribe which came over the Jor- 
dan. It is not unlikely that he died 
in the camp at Gilgal, and was buri- 
ed not far off, under the stone here 
alluded to. 

7. En-shemesh. Heb. c fountain of 
the sun;' a place eastward of Jeru- 
salem, on the confines of Judah and 
Benjamin. Some conjecture that it 
was a fountain dedicated by the Ca- 
naanites to the sun. IF En-rogel. 
Heb. ' fountain of the fallen ;' sap- 
posed by some to have been the same 
as the Pool of Siloam; by others 
placed farther down the valley, near 
the southeast of Jerusalem, and not 
far from what is now called the 
Fountain of the Blessed Virgin. 

8. The valley of the son of Hinnom. 
A valley in the vicinity of Jerusa- 
lem, lying probably on the south of 
mount Zion, and consequently envi- 
roning the ancient city on the south 
side. Who this Hinnom was, or why 
it was called his valley, is not known. 
This valley, or, more properly 
speaking, ravine, is only about one 
hundred and fifty feet in breadth, and 
is stated to have been in ancient 
times exceedingly verdant and shad- 
ed with trees. But from the inhu- 
man practices of the Hebrews, in 
sacrificing their infants at a place in 
it called Tophet, the whole valley 
was denounced by Jehovah, and pol- 



and the goings out thereof were 
at h En-rogel : 

8 And the border went up 
*by the valley of the son of Hin- 
nom, unto the south side of the 
k Jebusite ; the same is Jerusa- 
lem : and the border went up 
to the top of the mountain that 
lieth before the valley of Hin- 
nom westward, which is at the 
end *of the valley of the giants 
northward : 

h 2 Sara. 17. 17. 1 Kin. 1. 9. i ch 18. 16. 2 Kin. 
23. 10. Jer. 19. 2. 6. k ch. 18. 28. Judg. I. 21. & 
19. 10. 1 ch. 18. 16. 



luted by Josiah, by ordure and dead 
men's bones and every kind of filth 
from the city. After the captivity, 
the Jews regarded this spot with ab- 
horrence, on account of the abomi- 
nations which had been practised 
there, and following the example of 
Josiah, threw into it the carcases of 
animals and the dead bodies of male- 
factors, and every species of refuse. 
To prevent the pestilence which such 
a mass would occasion, if left to 
putrefy, constant files were kept up 
in the valley, in order to consume 
what was thrown into it. It became 
therefore a striking type of Hell, or 
that part of Hades where they sup- 
posed the souls of wicked men were 
punished in eternal fire. Under this 
idea, it was often called Gehenna of 
fire; the name ' Gehenna' being form- 
ed from the Hebrew p^ji fcO} Ghe- 
hinnom, valley of Hinnom. See 
Barnes' Notes on Mat. 6. 22. IT 
Valley of the giants. Or, Heb. ' of 
the Rephaim;' on which word see on 
Gen. 6. 4. Dent. 2. 7, 11. This val- 
ley lay about three miles to the south- 
west of Jerusalem, and appears to have 
been so called from its ancient gigan- 
tic inhabitants. It was the theatre of 
several signal victories obtained by 
David over the Philistines, and was 
also famed for its fertility and its ex- 
cellent crops of corn. Is. 17. 5. The 
road from Jerusalem, says Maund- 
rell, passes through this valley, and 
in it are pointed out to the traveller 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



125 



9 And the border was drawn 
from the top of the hill unto 
m the fountain of the water of 
Nephtoah, and went out to the 
cities of mount Ephron ; and the 
border was drawn n to Baalah, 
which is °Kirjath-jearim : 

10 And the border compass- 
ed from Baalah westward unto 
mount Seir, and passed along 
unto the side of mount Jearim 
(which is Chesalon) on the north 
side, and went down to Beth-she- 
mesh, and passed on to pTimnah ; 

11 And the border went out 
unto the side of ^Ekron north- 
ward : and the border was drawn 
to Shicron, and passed along to 
mount Baalah, and went out un- 
to Jabneel ; and the goings out 
of the border were at the sea. 

m ch. 18. 15. n Chr. 13. 6. o Judg. 18 12. 

p Gen. 38. 13. Judg. U. 1. q ch. 19. 43. 



the ruined tower of Simeon, the 
Greek monastery of Elias, and the 
tomb of Rachel. The valley itself 
is now only partially cultivated, and 
even those parts which are sown with 
corn yield but a comparatively scanty 
crop. ' He turneth a fruitful land in- 
to barrenness for the wickedness of 
them that dwell therein.' 

13. And unto Caleb he gave. Or 
Heb. ' had given.' The historian 
seems pleased with every occasion 
to make mention of Caleb, and to do 
him honor, because he honored the 
Lord by following him fully. Re- 
specting this grant to Joshua, see 
notes on the preceding chapter, v. 
6—15. 

14. Drove thence the sons of Ana,k. 
This is doubtless mentioned here to 
show, that the confidence he had be- 
fore expressed of success in this af- 
fair, through the presence of God 
with him, did not deceive him. The 
event answered all his expectations ; 
and it is here put on record at once 



12 And the west border was 
r to the great sea, and the coast 
thereof: this is the coast of the 
children of Judah round about, 
according to their families. 

13 IT "And unto Caleb the 
son of Jephunneh he gave a part 
among the children of Judah, 
according to the commandment 
of the Lord to Joshua, even l the 
city of Arba the father of Anak, 
which city is Hebron. 

14 And Caleb drove thence 
u the three sons of Anak, x She- 
shai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, 
the children of Anak. 

15 And yhe went up thence 
to the inhabitants of Debir : and 
the name of Debir before was 
Kirjath-sepher. 

16 T z And Caleb said, He 



r v. 47. Num. 34 6, 7. s ch. 14 13. 

14. 15. u Judg. 1. 10, 20. x Num. 13. 22. 
10.38. Judg. 1. 11. zJudg. 1. 12. 



tch. 
y ch. 



to the praise of Caleb, to the glory 
of God, who never disappoints those 
that trust in him, and for the en- 
couragement of believers in all ages. 
On the sense of the phrase ' drove 
out,' see on Judg. 1. 10. 

15. Debir — Kirjath-sepher. These 
names, the former signifying a word 
or oracle , the latter, the city of a book, 
have led some commentators to sup- 
pose that this city was a seat of learn- 
ing, or a repository of the records of 
the ancient inhabitants. It is not in- 
deed probable that writing and books, 
in our sense of the words, were very 
common among the Canaanites; but 
some method of recording events 
and a sort of learning was doubtless 
cultivated in those regions. 

16. And Caleb said, He that smiteth, 
&c. We cannot think so ill of Ca- 
leb, as to suppose that this proposi- 
tion proceeded either from cowardice 
or sloth. He did not invite another 
to achieve a difficult and dangerous 
exploit, because he shrunk from it 



126 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and 
taketh it, to him will I give 
Achsah my daughter to wife, 

17 And a OthnieI the b son of 
Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took 
it : and he gave him Achsah his 
daughter to wife. 

a Judg. . 3. & 3. 9. b Num. 32 12. ch. M. 6. 



himself. He had already evinced 
too much valor to allow of the sap- 
position. But his generous spirit 
would not permit him- to monopolise 
all the glory of these victories.. He 
would give occasion to some of his 
younger brethren to signalise their 
prowess also ; and to strengthen the 
inducement, he makes a proffer of 
his daughter in marriage to the suc- 
cessful combatant. Such an achieve- 
ment would be presumptive evi- 
dence that the man was worthy of 
her, and one who was likely to de- 
serve well of his country. So Saul, 
in like manner, promised his daugh- 
ter in marriage to him who should 
kill Goliath, 1 Sam. 17, 25. Fathers, 
in ancient times, appear to have had 
nearly an absolute power in the dis- 
posal of their daughters in marriage, 
as we learn from the case of Laban, 
and numerous other instances men- 
tioned in the Scriptures. Caleb, how- 
ever, could no doubt safely presume 
upon his daughter's preference co- 
inciding with his, especially when 
such recommendations existed as 
were supposed in the very nature of 
the case. Deeds of valor have sel- 
dom failed, in any age of the world, 
to prove a powerful passport to the 
female heart, although it is to be 
hoped that the force of this attraction 
will diminish, as the influence of a 
religion of peace prevails in the 
worM. 

17. Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the 
brother of Caleb, took it. It was Ke- 
naz, and not Othniel, who was the 
brother, and, as appears from Judg. 
1. 13, the younger brother of Caleb ; 
otherwise the marriage would have 
been unlawful, or at least of question- 
able propriety.. It is not at all inv 



IS c And it came to pass, as 
she came unto him, that she 
moved him to ask of her father 
a field. And d she lighted off 
her ass ; and Caleb said unto her, 
What wouldst thou ? 

19 Who answered, Give me 

c Judg. 1, W. d See Gen. 24 f4.. 1 Sam. 25 23. 



probable, that Othniel previously 
entertained an affection for Ach- 
sah, so that he could not brook the 
thought that any one else should do 
more to win her favor r than he him- 
self would. This prompted him un- 
hesitatingly to take up the gage 
which Caleb had thrown down. The 
result proved that he was worthy 
both of the work and the wages ; far 
he became afterwards a deliverer 
and a judge in Israel, the first single 
person who presided in their affairs, 
after the death of Joshua. ' It is 
good for those, who are setting out 
in the world, to begin betimes with 
that which is great and good ; that, 
excelling in service when they are 
young, they may excel in honor 
when they are old/ Henry. 

18. When she came unto him. Or, 
Heb. 'in her going; 5 i. e. in going 
from her father's house to live with 
her husband. IT She moved him to 
ask. Gr. 'she took counsel with him, 
saying, I will ask.' Being on the 
point of leaving the paternal roof, 
sho seized the opportunity, when a 
parent's heart would naturally be 
tender and yielding, to persuade her 
husband to solicit an additional boon 
of her father. He readily consented 
to the request's being made, but 
seems to have preferred that it should 
come from herself rather than him, 
as he would do nothing that would 
appear like taking advantage of Ca- 
leb's favorable disposition towards 
his son-in-law. Accordingly the peti- 
tion was made by Achsah, who, in 
order to manifest more respect and 
reverence for her father, alighted off 
the animal on which she rode, and 
addressed him in the most suppliant 
posture. On this eastern mode Qf 



A. €.1444.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



127 



a e blessing; for thou hast given 
me a south land, give me also 
springs of water. And he gave 
her the upper springs, and the 
nether springs, 

20 This is the inheritance of 
the tribe of the children of Judah 
according to their families. 

21 And the uttermost cities 
of the tribe of the children of Ju- 
dah toward the coast of Edom 
southward were Kabzeel, and 
Eder, and Jagur, 

22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, 
and Adadah, 

23 And Kadesh, and Hazor, 
and Jthnan, 

e Gen 33. U. 



expressing respect, see ' Illustrations 
of Scripture.' p. 32,282. 

19. Give me a blessing. Do me an 
act of kindness, grant me a special 
favor, as a gift is sometimes called 
a blessing, Gen. 33. 11. 2 Kings 5. 
15. 2 Cor. 9. 5. Or, she calls this a 
blessing, because it would add much 
to the comfort of her settlement, and 
she was sure, since she married not 
only with her father's consent, but 
in obedience to his command, he 
would not deny her his blessing 1T 
Hast given me a south land. Which 
by lying exposed to the burning rays 
of the sun, and to the sultry south 
winds, was comparatively ill- watered 
and barren. IT Give me also springs 
of water. By which she meant not 
simply gushing springs of water, 
but the field or fields in which they 
were situated, v. 18. Chaid. ' Give 
me a place moistened with water.' 
If the fields belonged lo one, and the 
springs to another, she would of 
course be little benefited by the pos- 
session. IT He gave her the upper 
springs and the nether springs. Both 
higher and lower ground ; tracts of 
hill and dale, well watered. An allu- 
sion of practicalbearingis sometimes 
made to this, when we pray for spiri- 
tul and heavenly blessings, which 



24 Ziph, andTelem, andBea- 
loth, 

25 And Hazor, Hadattah, 
and Kerioth, and Hezron, which 
is Hazor, 

26 A mam, and Shema, and 
Moladah, 

27 And Hazar-gaddah, and 
Heshmon, and Beth -pal et, 

28 And Hazar-shual, and 
Beersheba, and Bizjothjah, 

29 Baalah, and lim, and Azem, 
- 30 And Eltolad, and Chest!, 
and Hormah, 

31 And f Ziklag, and Mad- 
mannah, and Sansannah, 

32 And Lebaoth, and Shil- 



f l Sam. 27. 6 



relate to our souls as blessings of the 
upper springs, and those that relate 
to the body and the life that now 
is, as blessings of the nether springs. 
From this story we may learn, (1.) 
That a moderate desire for the com- 
forts and conveniences of this life is 
no breach of the commandment, 
' Thou shalt not covet.' (2.) That 
mutual consultation and joint agree- 
ment between husbands and wives, 
as touching the things they shall seek 
pertaining to the common good of 
themselves and their families, is the 
surest omen of success. (3.) That 
parents should never think that lost 
which is bestowed upon their child- 
ren, for their advantage. They for- 
get themselves and their relations, 
who grudge their children what is 
convenient for them, when they can 
conveniently part with it. 

20. This is the inheritance, &c. 
He now returns to the description of 
Judah's inheritance, from the digres- 
sion made concerning Caleb and his 
family, in the preceding verses. 

32. All the cities are twenty-nine. 
But upon an exact computation there 
appears to be thirty-eight. The rea- 
son of the discrepancy doubtless is, 
either that nine of them were after- 
wards alloted to Simeon, or, as many 



128 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444 



him, and Ain, and Rimmon : all 
the cities are twenty and nine, 
with their villages : 

33 And in the valley, eEsh- 
taol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah, 

34 And Zanoah, and En-gan- 
nim, Tappuah, and Enam, 

35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, 
Socoh, and Azekah, 

36 And Sharaim, and Adi- 
thaim, and Gederah, and Gede- 
rothaim ; fourteen cities with 
their villages : 

37 Zenan, and Hadashah, 
and Migdal-gad, 

39 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, 
h and Joktheel, 

39 Lachish, and Bozkath, 
and Eglon, 

40 And Cabbon, and Lah- 
man, and Kithlish, 

41 And Gederoth, Beth-da- 
gon, and Namaah, and Makke- 
dah ; sixteen cities with their 
villages : 

42 Libnah, and Ether, and 
Ashan, 

43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, 
and Nezib, 

44 And Keilah, and Achzib, 
and Mareshah ; nine cities with 
their villages : 

45 Ekron, with her towns 
and her villages : 

46 From Ekron even unto 
the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, 
with their villages : 

47 Ashdod, with her towns 
and her villages; Gaza, with 
her towns and her villages, unto 

g Num. 13. 23. h 2 Kings 14. 7. 



Uhe river of Egypt, and k the 
great sea, and the border there' 
of: 

48 IT And in the mountains, 
Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 

49 And Dannah, and Kirjath- 
sannah, which is Debir, 

50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, 
and Anim, 

51 iAnd Goshen, and Holon, 
and Giloh ; eleven cities with 
their villages : 

52 Arab, and Dumah, and 
Eshean, 

53 And Janum, and Beth-tap- 
puah, and Aphekah, 

54 And Humtah, and m Kir- 
jath-arba (which is Hebron) and 
Zior ; nine cities with their vil- 
lages : 

55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, 
and Juttah, 

56 And Jezreel, and Jok- 
deam, and Zanoah, 

57 Cain, Gibeah, and Tim. 
nah ; ten cities with their villages : 

58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Ge- 
dor, 

59 And Maarath, and Beth- 
anoth, and Eltekon ; six cities 
with their villages : 

60 n Kirjath-baal (which is 
Kirjath-jearim) and Rabbah ; 
two cities with their villages : 

61 In the wilderness, Beth- 
arabah, Middin, and Secacah, 

62 And Nibshan, and the city 
of Salt, and En-gedi ; six cities 
with their villages. 

63 IT As for the Jebusites, the 

i v. 4. k Num. 34. 6. 1 ch. 10. 41. & 11. 16. 
m ch. 14.115. & t. 13, nch. 18. 14. 



of them are expressed by compound one or two instances have formed 
terms, translators may have combin- the names of cities out of epithets. 
ed what should be separated, and in I 63. The Jebusites — the children of 



A. C. 1444.] 

inhabitants of Jerusalem, °the 
children of Judah could not drive 
them out : pbut the Jebusites 
dwell with the children of Judah 
at Jerusalem unto this day. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



129 



CHAPTER XVI. 

^ND the lot of the children of 
Joseph fell from Jordan by 
Jericho, unto the water of Jer- 
icho, on the east, lo the wilder- 
ness that goeth up from Jericho 
throughout mount Beth-el, 

2 And goeth out from Beth -el 
to a Luz, and passeth along unto 
the borders of Archi to Ataroth, 

3 And goeth down westward 
to the coast of Japhleti, b unto the 
coast of Beth-horon the nether, 
and to c Gezer : and the goings 
out thereof are at the sea. 

4 d So the children of Joseph, 
Manasseh and Ephraim, took 
their inheritance. 

5 11 And the border of the 

o See Judg. 1. 8, 21. 2 Sam. 5. 6. p Judg 1. 21. 
ti ch. 18. 13. Judjr. 1. 26. b ch. 18. 13. 2Chr 8 5. 
clChr. 7 28 1 Kings 9. 15. d ch. 17. 11. 



Israel could not drive them out. Josh- 
ua had before taken the king of Jeru- 
salem, but not the city. The part from 
which the Jebusites could not be dis- 
lodged was more particularly the 
strong hold of Zion, falling within 
the lot of Benjamin, which was not 
finally reduced till the time of David, 
2 Sam. 5. 6 — 10. As precisely the 
same thing is said of the children of 
Benjamin, Judg. 1. 21, which is here 
said of the children of Judah, the in- 
ference is inevitable that part of Jeru- 
salem was in the lot of Judah, and part 
in the lot of Benjamin. The inability 
of Israel to expel these Jebusites was 
owing solely to their own remissness 
and unbelief. If they had attempted it 
with vigor and resolution, if they had 
all had the undaunted spirit of Caleb, 
there is no reason to doubt that God 
12 



children of Ephraim according 
to their families was thus : even 
the border of their inheritance 
on the east side was e Ataroth- 
adar, f unto Beth-horon the up- 
per : 

6 And the border went out to- 
ward the sea to sMichmethah on 
the north side ; and the border 
went about eastward unto Ta- 
anath-shiloh, and passed by it on 
the east to Janohah ; 

7 And it went down from Ja- 
nohah to Ataroth, h and to 
Naarath, and came to Jericho, 
and went out at Jordan. 

8 The border went out from 
Tappuah westward unto the 
» river Kanah ; and the goings 
out thereof were at the sea. 
This is the inheritance of the 
triba of the children of Ephraim 
by their families. 

9 And k the separate cities for 
the children of Ephraim were 

ech. 18. 13 f2Chr. 8. 5. g ch. 17. 7. h 1 Cbr 
7. 28. j ch 17. 9. k ch. 17. 9. 



would have been present with them 
to crown their efforts with success. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 . The children of Joseph. Ephraim 
and the half tribe of Manasseh. 
Their portion, which was not one, but 
divided and distinct, lay in the very 
heart of Canaan extending from the 
Jordan on the east, to the Mediterra- 
nean on the west, see map. IT Fell. 
Heb. ■ came out, went forth.' i. e. out 
of the urn or vessel from which it 
was d rawn. IF Unto the water of Jer i- 
cho. The fountain in the immediate 
vicinity of Jericho, whose waters 
were healed by Elisha, as mentioned 
2 Kings 2. 19—22. H Mount Beth-el. 
That is, the mount upon or near 
which the city of Bethel was situated. 
There was no mountain so called. 



130 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



among the inheritance of the 
children of Manasseh, all the ci- 
ties with their villages. 

10 iAnd they drave not out 
the Canaanites that dwelt in Ge- 
zer : but the Canaanites dwell 
among the Ephraimites unto 
this day, and serve under tri- 
bute. 

Uudg. 1.29. Seel Rings 9. 16. 



10. Drave not out the Canaanites. 
Yet they so far prevailed against 
them as to subject them to tribute ; 
which shows that with proper exer- 
tions they might have extirpated 
them entirely, and that they were 
inexcusable for not having done so. 
The remarks of Josephus undoubt- 
edly furnish the true clue to their 
remissness. ' After this, the Israel- 
ites grew effeminate as to fighting 
any more against their enemies, but 
applied themselves to the cultivation 
of the land, which producing them 
great plenty and riches, they neglect- 
ed the regular disposition of their 
settlement, and indulged themselves 
in luxury and pleasures.' ' The 
Benjamites, to whom belonged Jeru- 
salem, permitted xts inhabitants to 
pay tribute ; the rest of the tribes, 
imitating Benjamin, did the same ; 
and contenting themselves with the 
tributes that were paid them, per- 
mitted the Canaanites to live in 
peace.' Ant. B. V. ch. 2. § 5, 7. So 
it may be suggested that Christians 
are in danger of putting their own, 
or the sins of others under tribute, 
i. e. making them a source of worldly 
profit, instead of vigorously aiming 
to eradicate them utterly. It is a seri- 
ous question, whether the gains of 
Christian venders of ardent spiritsare 
not derived from this source. Is it not 
taking tribute of the Canaanites ? 

CHAPTER' XVII. 

1. Also a lot for the tribe of Manas- 
seh. It was important to note this to 
show, that although Jacob in his bless- 



CHAPTER XVIL 
rpHERE was also a lot for the 
-*- tribe of Manasseh ; for he 
was the a first-horn of Joseph ; to 
wit, for b iViachir the first. born of 
Manasseh, the father of Gilead : 
because he was a man of war, 
therefore he had c Gilead and Ba- 
shan. 

a Gen. 41. 51. & 46. 20. & 48. 18. b Gen. 51 23. 
Num. 26. 29. & 32. 39, 40. 1 Chr 7. 14. c Deut- 
3 15. 

ing, Gen. 48. 19, 20, did in a measure 
set Ephraim before Manasseh, yet it 
was not to prejudice his rights of pri- 
mogeniture. Ephraim, indeed, was 
to be more numerous and powerful 
than Manasseh, yet Manasseh was 
the first-born, and was to have his 
distinct inheritance, instead of being 
incorporated with his brother in pos- 
session. TT Machir. The name of 
the only son of Manasseh, but here 
as well as Judg. 5. 14, put for his 
posterity. Indeed, throughout this 
description of the boundaries of the 
tribes, the names of fathers stand for 
their descendants. IT The first born 
vf Manasseh . Meaning his only son. 
It is a scriptural usage to denomi- 
nate an only son the first born. See 
Matt. 1. 24, 25. IT The father of 
Gilead. Although it is true, as ex- 
pressly affirmed JNum. 26. 29, and 
27. 1, that Machir was the father of 
a son named Gilead, yet it is certain 
that this latter name, when used with 
the article in Heb. as here, is almost 
invariably applied to the country so 
called, and which received its de- 
nomination, in the time of Jacob, 
from the incident mentioned Gen. 
31. 48. It can scarcely be doubted 
therefore, that the phrase ' father of 
Gilead 5 is here properly to be under- 
stood of Machir, and that he is so 
called just as in 1 Chron. 2. 24, 45, 
49, 50, Asher is called ' father of 
Tekoa,' Maon ' father of Beth zur.' 
Sheva, ' father of Gibea,' and Shabal 
1 father of Kirjath-jearim ;' all the 
names of places. The reason of 
Machir, or rather his posterity, be- 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XVII. 



131 



2 There was also a lot for 
d the rest of the children cf Ma- 
nasseh by their families ; e for 
the children of Abiezer, and for 
the -nildren of Helek, f and for 
the children of Asriel, and for 
the children of Shechem, sand 
for the children of Hepher, and 
for the children of Shemida : 
these were the male children of 
Manasseh the sou of Joseph by 
their families. 

3 IF But h Zelophehad, the son 
of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the 
son of Machir, the son of Ma- 
nasseh, had no sons, but daugh- 
ters : and these are the names 
of his daughters, Mahlah, and 
Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tir- 
zah. 

4 And they came near before 
iEleazar the priest, and before 
Joshua the son of Nun, and be- 
fore the princes, saying, k The 
Lord commanded Moses to give 
us an inheritance among our 
brethren : therefore according 
to the commandment of the Lord 
he gave them an inheritance 
among the brethren of their fa- 
ther. 

5 And there fell ten portions 
to M inasseh, besides the land of 
Gilead and Bashan, which were 
on the other side Jordan ; 

d Num. 25. 29—32. e 1 Chr. 7. 13. f Num. 26. 31. 
Num. 26. 32. h \'.im. 26. 33. & 27. 1 & 36- 2. 



i ch. n. i 



k Num. 27. 6,7 



ing so called is immediately stated 
—because being a warlike and vali- 
ant race they had conquered Gilead 
and Bashan, therefore that region 
was allotted them. 

2. The male children af Manasseh. 
This is mentioned merely to prepare 
the way for the ensuing digression, 



6 Because the daughters of 
Manasseh had an inheritance 
among his sons : and the rest of 
Manasseh's sjns had the land of 
Gilead. 

7 II And the coast of Manas- 
seh was from Asher to iMich- 
methah, that lieth before She- 
chem ; and the border went 
along on the right hand unto the 
inhabitants of En-tappuah. 

8 Now Manasseh had the 
land of Tappuah: but m Tap- 
puah on the border of Manasseh 
belonged to the children of 
Ephraim : 

9 And the coast descended 
"unto the river Kanah, south* 
ward of the river. °These ci- 
ties of Ephraim are among the 
cities of Manasseh : the coast of 
Manasseh also was on the north 
side of the river, and the out-go- 
ings of it were at the sea : 

10 Southward it was Ephra- 
im's, and northward it was Ma- 
nasseh's, and the sea is his bor- 
der ; and they met together in 
Asher on the north, and in Is- 
sachar on the east. 

11 pAnd Manasseh had in Is- 
sachar, and in Asher, ^Beth- 
shean and her towns, and Ibleam 
and her towns, and the inhabi- 
tants of Dor and her towns, and 

1 ch. 16. 6. m ch. 16. 8. n ch. 16. 8. o ch. 16. 9« 
p 1 Chr. 7. 29. q 1 Sam. 31. 10. 1 Kings 4, 12. 



concerning the daughters of Zelo- 
phehad. 

3. But Zelophehad the son of He- 
pher, &c. ' See on Num. 26. 33. 27. 1. 

11. Beth-shean and her totvns. Heb. 
' and her daughters.' Beth-shean o r * 
Beth-san, the Scythopolis of th e 
Greek and Roman writers, was situ. 



132 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



the inhabitants of En-dor and 
her towns, and the inhabitants of 
Taanach and her towns, and the 
inhabitants of Megiddo and her 
towns, even three countries. 
12 Yet r the children of Ma- 

rJ.id?. 1. "27,28. 



ated in the plain of Jordan, at the 
east end of the great plain of Jezreel, 
and not far from the sea of Galilee. 
It is now called Bisan, eight hours 
or twenty- four miles from Tiberias, 
and described, by Dr. Richardson, as 
a collection of miserable hovels, 
containing about two hundred inha- 
bitants. But the interesting ruins 
in its vicinity point out to the tra- 
veller its former grandeur and im- 
portance. IT And the inhabitants. 
-The phraseology is remarkable, im- 
plying that they had or possessed not 
the places only, but also the people ; 
that is, that having spared them con- 
trary to the divine command, they 
reduced them to the condition of de- 
pendants and menials, and served 
themselves of them. 

12. The children of Manasseh could 
not drive out, &c. Their inability 
was wholly of the moral kind. They 
could not do it, because they were 
not disposed to do it, just as it is said 
of Joseph's brethren, Gen. 37. 4, that 
r they could not speak peaceably unto 
him,' so strong was their personal 
dislike to him. The love of ease, 
the prospect of gain, and, perhaps, 
the feelings of humanity, accompani- 
ed by a gradual declension of faith 
and zeal, prevailed over the motives 
which should have prompted them 
to action, and so rendered them un- 
able to effect the object. But an 
inability, arising from this source, 
was obviously inexcusable, on the 
same grounds that a drunkard's in- 
ability to master his propensity for 
strong drink is inexcusable. In like 
manner, the { cannot' of the impeni- 
tent sinner, in regard to the perfor- 
mance of his duty, is equally inex- 
cusable. IT The Canaanites would 
dwell in that land. Heb. ( willed to 
dwell. ' A very remarkable expres- 



nasseh could not drive out the 
inhabitants of those cities ; but 
the Canaanites would dwell in 
that land. 

13 Yet it came to pass, when 
the children of Israel were 



sion, indicative of the obstinate de- 
termination of the Canaanites to re- 
tain possession of the country, and 
carrying with it a severe reflection 
upon the supineness, cowardice, and 
unbelief of the Israelites. The pre- 
sent version, ' would,' gives a very 
exact idea of the import of the origi- 
nal, which signifies to will, to deter- 
mine, especially as the result of com- 
placency, content, or satisfaction in 
any thing. It implies here, that the 
Canaanites resolved to act their own 
will in remaining, that they would 
do as they pleased about it. Alas \ 
how -often is it the case that our in- 
nate lusts, those hidden enemies of 
the heart, obtain such an advantage 
over us, that they may be conceived 
as uttering the same language ! 
Long accustomed to toleration and 
forbearance, they at length spurn 
control, and domineer in the most 
absolute manner. As if they held 
their place and power by prescrip- 
tion, they seem determined not to be 
dispossessed, and lord it with all the 
airs of despotic masters over their 
too easy and obsequious subjects. 
But such a base subjection as this, 
always costs the Christian dear, if, 
indeed, he be a Christian over whom 
it is exercised, He may decline a 
vigorous contest now when the vic- 
tory is comparatively easy, but he 
must prepare for the combat by and 
by, and must count upon tenfold dif- 
ficulty in achieving a conquest. If 
he succeeds at all, he will barely es- 
cape with his life. Interest, duty, 
safety, all combine therefore to re- 
quire of the believer the most deter- 
mined and unremitting efforts to ob- 
tain and preserve a decided ascen- 
dancy over the inbred corruptions of 
his nature. 
13. Yet it came to pass, &c, This 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XVII. 



133 



waxen strong, that they put the 
Canaanites to tribute ; but did 
not utterly drive them out. 

14 tAnd the children of Jo- 
seph spake unto Joshua, saying, 
Why hast thou given me but 
u one lot and one portion to in- 
herit, seeing I am x a great peo- 

■ eli. 16.10. tch. 16. i. u Gen. 48. 2?. x Gen. 
43. 19 Num. 26- 31, 37. 



might better be rendered, ' and' or 
1 for it came to pass,' as the words are 
not intended to express an opposition 
to the leading sense of the preceed- 
ing verse, bat rather to point to the 
reason of the failure of the Israelites 
to expel their enemies: viz. because 
they found it more agreeable to put 
them under tribute, though in direct 
disobedience of the divine injunc- 
tion, Deut. 20, 16. 

14. The children of Joseph. That 
is, both the tribes of Ephraim and 
Manasseh conjointly. They speak, 
however, according to common us- 
age in the Hebrew, as if they were 
but one person. IT One lot and one 
portion. It is not easy to determine 
whether they complain of having re- 
ceived but oce lot, when they consi- 
dered themselves entitled to two, as 
being two distinct tribes, or that the 
district assigned to them was so 
small as to be no more than sufficient 
for one tribe of ordinary dimensions. 
They complain, however, of the nar- 
rowness of their bounds, and plead 
that their great numbers should con- 
stitute a claim for a larger portion. 
^ Forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed 
me hitherto. Increased, multiplied 
me. On this sense of the word 
1 bless,' see on Gen. 1. 22. 

15 . If thou be a great people. Josh- 
ua takes them at their word, and 
makes their alleged greatness an ar- 

i gument of their being the better able 
by their own energy and industry to 
make up any deficiency in their lot. 
The complete expulsion of the Ca- 
naanites from their territories would 
be a virtual enlargement of their 
bounds, and to this they ought to 
12* 



pie, forasmuch as the Lord hath 
blessed me hitherto ? 

15 And Joshua answered 
them, If thou be a great people, 
then get thee up to the wood- 
cow?!^?/, and cut down for thy- 
self there in the land of the Per- 
izzites and of the giants, if 



hold themselves obliged by the com- 
mand and the promise of Jehovah. 
He intimates, if we mistake not, that 
their lot was in itself sufficiently ex- 
tensive for their purposes, would 
they but make it all available, which 
he now enjoins it upon them to do. 
' Many wish for larger possessions 
who do not cultivate and make the 
best of what they have ; and think 
they should have more talents given 
them, when they do not trade with 
those with which they are intrusted.' 
Henry. V Get thee up to the wood 
country. That is, to the mountain- 
ous parts which are covered with 
wood. We suppose he still has in 
view certain parts of the tract which 
had not been expressly assigned, but 
which were, at present, possessed by 
the Perizzites and Rephaim, a gi- 
gantic and formidable race, whom 
they seem to have been backward to 
encounter. II Cut down for thyself. 
That is, prepare a place for thyself. 
They were to combine the labors of 
the axe with those of the sword, in 
obtaining and fitting up for them- 
selves a suitable possession. It is, 
however, to be remarked that the 
original word here rendered * cut 
down' is applied Ezek. 23. 47, to dis- 
patching with the sword, and that it is 
not therefore, absolutely certain that 
it refers solely to cutting down the 
trees of a forest. It may mean cut- 
ting down enemies in war. Probably 
the genuine idea is, making a clear- 
ance for themselves, whether by fell- 
ing the forests, or by cutting off the 
giants, or both. It is worthy of notice, 
that the original word is from the 
same root with a^Q to create, Gen. 



134 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



mount Ephraim be too narrow 
for thee. 

16 And the children of Jo- 
seph said, The hill is not enough 
for us : and all the Canaanites 
that dwell in the land of the val- 
ley have ^chariots of iron, both 
they who are of Beth-shean and 
her towns, and they who are z of 
the valley of Jezreel. 

17 And Joshua spake unto 
the house of Joseph, even to 

y Judg. 1. 19. & 4. 3 z ch. 19. 18. 1 Kings 4.12. 



1.1, and which we there endeavored 
to show, implied a process of re-for- 
ming, or renovating , just as the trans- 
forming an uninhabited woodland 
tract into cultivated fields, or popu- 
lous towns, renovates or recreates a 
country. 

16. The hill is not enough for us. 
Heb. 'shall not be found for us.' 
That is, perhaps, is unattainable by 
us, cannot be mastered. The grounds 
of their apprehension, they proceed 
to state in what follows. IT And all 
the Canaanites, &c. Rather, for all 
the Canaanites, &c. It would be 
impossible, they thought, to make 
themselves masters of the mountains, 
so long as their enemies, with their 
iron chariots, commanded all the ad- 
jacent valleys. Such a formidable 
defence would effectually preclude 
all access. IT Chariots of iron. Not 
chariots made wholly of iron, but 
armed with it; chariots with long 
scythes fastened to their axle-trees, 
as described above, ch. 11.4. 

17. Thou shall not have one lot only. 
Thou shalt not be restricted to what 
thou callest one lot ; it is in fact a 
much larger territory, and thou doest 
wrong to call it by so diminutive a 
title. Only possess the whole, and 
great and powerful as thou art, thou 
wilt find no reason to complain of 
too contracted bounds. 

18. But the mountain shall be thine. 
The same mountainous or hilly tract 
of which he had spoken before. 
feeing that their request proceeded 



Ephraim and to Manasseh, say- 
ing, Thou art a great people, 
and hast great power : thou 
shalt not have one lot only : 

18 But the mountain shall be 
thine ; for it is a wood, and thou 
shalt cut it down : and the out- 
goings of it shall be thine: for 
thou shalt drive out the Canaan- 
ites, nhough they have iron 
chariots, and though they be 
strong. 

a Dent. 20.1. 

only from pusillanimity and want 
of faith, he insists upon his first sug- 
gestion. He would have them quit 
themselves like men, and take pos- 
session of the fine wooded hills to 
which he referred before. There 
was no reason why they should ask 
any thing more. And as to the Ca- 
naanites and their chariots of iron, 
what were they when set in opposi- 
tion to the almighty arm of Israel's 
God 7 They were not to fear for a 
moment but that they should drive 
them out, terrible as they were. TF 
The outgoings of it shall be thine. 
Meaning, probably, the passages and 
valleys leading to it ; q. d. ' Clear 
away the wood, occupy the mountain, 
and you shall soon be able to com- 
mand all the defiles, all the avenues 
of approach, and no enemy can make 
head against you.' Otherwise, the 
meaning may be, The mountainous 
tract, in all the extent of its boundaries, 
shall be thine. This is sometimes 
the sense of ( outgoings.' We may 
learn from this petition of the sons 
of Joseph, (1.) How prone men are 
to be discontented with their lot. A 
dissatisfied mind, a disposition to 
murmur, envy, and covet, rather 
than to be content, thankful, and 
liberal, is alas ! too often character- 
istic of those who are really highly 
favored of Heaven, would they but 
survey their blessings in all their 
length and breadth, and extract the 
most out of them that they are ca- 
pable of yielding. (2.) Our com- 



• 



A. C. 1444.] 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

ND the whole congregation 
of the children of Israel as- 
sembled together a at Shiloh, and 

a ch. 19. 51- & 21. 2. & 22 9. Jer. 7. 12 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



135 



A 



plaints of comforts withheld are of- 
ten no more than testimonies of our 
own supineness, negligence, and fear 
of the cross. From an ignoble fear 
that our enemies are too many, or 
too mighty for us, and that we can 
do nothing, we sit down and attempt 
nothing : and yet we complain of 
providential allotments. Thus it is 
that ' the foolishness of man pervert- 
eth his way, and (yet) his heart fret- 
teth against the Lord.' 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
1. The whole congregation — as- 
sembled at Shiloh. The wiihdraw- 
ment of the tribes of Judah, Ephraim, 
and Manasseh to take possession of 
their respective lots, would sensibly 
diminish the body of the people en- 
camped around the tabernacle at 
Gilead, and make it inconvenient as 
a place of resort to those who were 
becoming settled at a distance. The 
expediency, therefore, of removing 
the tabernacle itself to a more cent- 
ral position was obvious, though the 
step, it may be presumed, would not 
be taken without divine direction, 
for God expressly retained to him- 
self the prerogative of ' choosing the 
place where he should cause his name 
to dwell, 5 Deut. 12. 11. Shiloh ac- 
cordingly was selected for this pur- 
pose. The name of this city is the 
same as that by which Jacob predict- 
ed the Messiah, 49. 10, and some 
commentators suppose that it was 
first called Shiloh on this occasion, 
when selected for the resting-place 
of the ark, and the observance of 
those institutions which pointed to 
Christ, the great Peace-maker be- 
tween heaven and earth. It was si- 
tuated in the tribe of Ephraim, in 
the very centre of Canaan, about 
twenty miles north of Jerusalem, 
twelve north of Bethel, and ten south 
of Shechem. It was therefore the 



b set up the tabernacle of the 
congregation there : and the land 
was subdued before them 

2 And there remained among 

b I ndar. IS. 31. 1 Sam 1. 3, 24. & 4. 3, 4. 

most convenient location possible 
for all the tribes, and as Joshua was 
himself of the tribe of Ephraim, he, 
as chief magistrate of the nation, 
would always have a ready access to 
the sanctuary, when the God of Is- 
rael was to be consulted. In this 
place the ark and the u Irc-nade re- 
mained for upwards of three hun- 
dred and fifty years, till taken by the 
Philistines, in the time oi Eli, 1 Sam. 
4, 1 — 11. It was afterwards remov- 
ed to Nob, and finally, in the reign 
of David, to Jerusalem. IT And the 
land was subdued before them. Or, 
Heb. * for the land was subdued,' in- 
timating to the reader, how it hap- 
pened that they were enabled to avail 
themselves of this favorable location. 
They were freed from the molesta- 
tion of their enemies. The Canaan- 
ites were so far subdued that they 
offered no resistance or impediment 
to the occupation of the spot. 

2. Seven tribes which had not yet 
received their inheritance. The rea- 
sons of this delay are unknown. 
The probability is, that the original 
survey, on which the division thus 
far made was founded, was so im- 
perfect, that the remaining tribes 
were unwilling to have it made the 
basis of their respective allotments. 
This is to be inferred from the fact 
that Judah's portion was soon found 
to be too large, as Joseph's had al- 
ready been found too small. The 
dissatisfaction expressed had led 
therefore to a temporal" r suspension 
of the work, till a new rnd more ex- 
act survey could be made. Add to 
this, that they appear to have become 
ti red of the war. Their former con- 
quests had enriched then with spoil, 
they were enjoying the ^mple provi- 
sions which had been irersured up 
for the use of the former inhabitants, 
and they became self-indulgent, 
slothful, and dilatory. They were 



136 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



the children of Israel seven 
tribes, which had not yet re- 
ceived their inheritance. 

3 And Joshua said unto the 
children of Israel, c Hovv long 



now living at ease in the midst of 
their brethren ; the regions that yet 
remained to be divided were remote 
from the station around which they 
were clustered, and if they went to 
take possession of them, they must 
break up their present connections, 
drive their flocks and herds, and con- 
vey their wives and children to 
strange places, and undergo new 
hardships and trials. Besides this, 
great numbers of the Canaanites still 
remained in the unappropriated dis- 
tricts, and these, they knew, could 
not be expelled but at the expense of 
great effort, fatigue, and peril. 
Their hearts accordingly sunk with- 
in them at the prospect. They knew 
the work was to be done — they 
wished it were done — but still 
they had not spirit to undertake it. 
' The soul of the sluggard desireth 
and hath nothing.' What a striking 
picture of the too common apathy 
and sluggishness of the candidate 
for 'the heavenly inheritance ! How 
frequently is he diverted from pre- 
sent duties and debarred from pre- 
sent comforts, by giving way to 
slothful or timorous apprehensions 
of the difficulties that beset his path. 
What attainments might we not have 
secured, if, from the commencement 
of our warfare, we had not relaxed 
our zeal, nor made truces with our 
enemies, but had followed up our ad- 
vantages in the spirit of true Chris- 
tian heroes ! May not many look 
back for years, and yet not be able 
to point out one foot of ground that 
they have gained, beyond that which 
was won in their first conflicts ? Yet 
how certainly are the difficulties in- 
creased by delay ! Forty years after 
this time, the tribe of Dan had to 
fight for their inheritance, and it was 
four hundred years before the Jebu- 
sites were driven from Jerusalem. 



are ye slack to go to possess the 
land whicn the Lord God of 
your fathers hath given you? 

4 Give out from among you 
three men for each tribe : and I 



Had all the tribes proceeded with - 
united vigor to fulfil the divine com- 
mand in its utmost extent, they 
would not so long have been annoy- 
ed by their remaining enemies, as 
' scourges in their sides, and thorns 
in their eyes.' And who does not 
find that corruptions gather strength 
by indulgence, and that graces decay 
for want of exercise 1 Therefore 
let us look to ourselves, that we lose 
not the things that we have wrought. 

3. Ho-w long are ye slack to go to 
possess the land, &c. This is surely 
the language of rebuke, and implies 
that there had been a criminal re- 
missness, among the tribes, in regard 
to this matter, the probable source of 
which is explained in the remarks 
on the preceding verse. It is true, 
indeed, that they could not well be 
enjoined to enter immediately, to 
rush, as it were, upon their inheri- 
tances, for the particular assign- 
ments were first to be made to eacru 
but the point of the censure is direct- 
ed to their indifference in this respect. 
They manifested no interest in, they 
were taking no steps towards, hav- 
ing the requisite survey and divi- 
sion made. This was the essence 
of their offence. So in reproving 
the impenitent for his neglecting to 
work out his own salvation with fear 
and trembling, and in pressing upon 
him the faithful discharge of every 
Christian duty, it is still to be under- 
stood that his first, his immediate 
business is to become reconciled to 
God, by unfeigned repentance ; and 
thus to secure a title to eternal life. 
When this is done, his great concern 
in life is, like that of the Israelites 
in Canaan, to labor to enter into pos- 
session of his eternal inheritance. 

4. Give out from among you. Heb. 
'Give ye for yourselves;' i. e. ap- 
point, select, ordain* TT Three men 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



137 



will send them, and they shall 
rise, and go through the land, 
and describe it according to the 
inheritance of them, and they 
shall come again to me. 

5 And they shall divide it in- 
to seven parts : d Judah shall 
abide in their coast on the south, 
and Hhe house of Joseph shall 
abide in their coast on the north. 

6 Ye shall therefore describe 
the land into seven parts, and 



0/each tribe. Of each of the seven 
tribes that yet remained to be provid- 
ed for, making twenty-one in all. 
TT Go through the land. Accompani- 
ed, perhaps, by a military guard to 
prevent the surveyors from being cut 
off by straggling parties of the Ca- 
naanites. Others suppose the Ca- 
naanites were supernaturally intimi- 
dated and restrained from attacking 
them. IT Describe it. See on v. 9, 
tf According to the inheritance' of them. 
Heb. ' according to the mouth of their 
inheritance ;' i. e. probably to the 
value of their inheritance, or the 
country which they were to inherit; 
not of their particular inheritances, 
for these were afterwards to be as- 
signed them by lot, but of the coun- 
try in general which was to consti- 
tute their inheritance. This is fre- 
quently the sense of the Heb. term 
h^ mouth, as maybe seen bv consult- 
ing Ex. 12. 4. 16. 18. Gen. 43. 7. 
Prov. 12. 8. The words of Josephus, 
in his account of this affair, gives, 
as we conceive, very nearly the pre- 
cise import of the original. ' He al- 
so gave them a charge to estimate the 
measure of that part of the land that 
was most fruitful, and what was not 
so good.' Again, ' Joshua thought 
the land for the tribes should be di- 
vided by estimation of its goodness, 
rather than the largeness of its mea- 
sure; it often happening that one 
acre of some sorts of land was equi- 
valent to a thousand other acres.' 
Ant. B. V. ch. 1. § 21. Joshua's in- 



bring the description hither to 
me, f that I may cast lots for you 
here before the Lord our God. 
7 eBut the Levites have no 
part among you ; for the priest- 
hood of the Lord is their inher- 
itance. h And Gad, and Reuben, 
and half the tribe of Manasseh, 
have received their inheritance 
beyond Jordan on the east, which 
Moses the servant of the Lord 
gave them. 

f ch. 14. 2 & t. 10. g ch 13. 33. h ch. 13. 8. 



structions, therefore, required the 
commissioners to have a special eye 
to the intrinsic value of the different 
parts of the country, as being more 
or less fertile and eligible. 

5. And they shall divide it. Or, 
Heb. ' divide ye it.' IT Judah shall 
abide in their coast. In their district, 
in their region. Heb. ' shall stand 
upon his border.' The meaning un- 
doubtedly is, that in this survey they 
were not to take into consideration 
the tribe of Judah, which was in the 
south, nor the tribes of Ephraim and 
Manasseh, which were on the north 
of where they now were, but were 
carefully to divide the remaining 
territory which was not occupied by 
these tribes into seven equal parts. 
The tribes of Judah and Joseph had 
been already provided for ; let them 
stand by themselves. The terms 
north and south are here used relative- 
ly to Shiloh, rather than to the actu- 
al position of these two tribes. 

6. Before the Lord our God. Be« 
fore the ark or tabernacle, over 
which the symbol of the divine pre- 
sence rested. See on ch. 3. 11. The 
transaction was a solemn one, and 
he would have it so performed as 
that the tribes should look upon their 
possessions, as established to them by 
divine authority. The pious heart 
ever delights to look upon God as 
1 determining the bounds of our habi* 
tations.' 

7. The Levites have no part among 
you. See on ch. 13, 14, 



138 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



8 If And the men arose, and 
went away : and Joshua charged 
them that went to describe the 
land, saying, Go, and walk 
through the land, and describe 
it, and come again to me, that I 
may here cast lots for you be- 
fore the Lord in Shiloh. 

8. And Joshua charged. Rather, 
' Joshua had charged,' as we find 
mentioned v. 6. These words and 
the remaining part of the verse should 
be included in a parenthesis. 

9. Described it in a book. Laid it 
down on a map or chart, accompani- 
ed, perhaps, with a verbal descrip- 
tion of the leading features of the 
country. This is the earliest instance 
of land-surveying on record. The 
art was perhaps learned from the 
Egyptians; for their fields being an- 
nually overflowed by the Nile, and 
the land-marks swept away, they 
would be compelled frequently to re- 
survey them, in order to adjust their 
limits. This incident is capable, 
without a violent application, of 
yielding an important practical hint 
to the candidate for the heavenly in- 
heritance. The sacred volume con- 
tains, not only the will which makes 
over to us the grant of this inheri- 
tance, but the title-deeds themselves, 
yea a map also of the whole estate, 
a description of every thing that is 
valuable in it, and clear directions 
for securing the everlasting posses- 
sion of it. We may ask, What 
would be our employment, if such a 
document were put into our hands 
in reference to an earthly inheri- 
tance ] — especially if required to 
make out our title by proofs drawn 
from the record itself 1 Should we 
not diligently ponder .such a record 1 
Should we not call in professional 
aid, and use every possible effort to 
establish our rights 1 Should we feel 
at ease while the issue was doubtful 1 
Should we willingly let the decision 
linger, and pass days and months in 
heedless indifference how the matter 
should terminate 1 Yet 3 alas ! how 



9 And the men went and 
passed through the land, and de- 
scribed it by cities into seven 
parts in a book, and came again 
to Joshua to the host at Shiloh. 

10 If And Joshua cast lots for 
them in Shiloh before the Lord : 
and there Joshua divided the land 



many act thus in reference to their 
title to heaven. They are equally 
listless and negligent in making out 
their title, and ' slack in taking pos- 
session' of the promised portion of 
the saints. They do not enter upon 
it, as they might, by faith, and hope, 
and holy joy. They do not live in 
heaven, as they might, by setting 
their affections on things above, and 
having their conversation there. 
We are ready to say, it argued base 
ingratitude to God, and a virtual con- 
tempt of their own interest, in being 
so remiss in taking possession of 
that rich land of promise. B ut what 
was Canaan, compared to the rest 
that is above 1 If, like Paul, we 
could once be caught up to the third 
heavens, and behold for a single hour 
those blest abodes, should we ever 
be ' slack' or lukewarm any more 1 
Should we then think, that the most 
intense zeal in the service of Christ 
was being ' righteous overmuch,' or 
carrying matters too far , or any more 
than the very nature of the case re- 
quired'? Wherefore, we would say 
to the cold-hearted and slack-handed 
followers of Christ, as the spies after- 
wards said to the neglectful Danites, 
' We have seen the land, and behold 
it is very good ; and are ye still 1 Be 
not slothful to go and to enter to pos- 
sess the land.' IT Described it by 
cities. Setting down the most re- 
markable cities, with their towns 
and villages, their distances from 
each other, and the territories adja- 
cent. IT And came again to Joshua. 
According to Josephus, at the end of 
seven months. 

10. According to their divisions. 
According to their respective appor-. 
tionments, 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



139 



unto the children of Israel ac- 
cording to their divisions. 

11 IT And the lot of the tribe 
ofthe children of Benjamin came 
up according to their families : 
and the coast of their lot came 
forth between the children of Ju- 
dah and the children of Joseph. 

12 'And their border on the 
north side was from Jordan ; 
and the border went up to the 
side of Jericho on the north side, 
and went up through the moun- 
tains westward ; and the goings 
out thereof were at the wilder- 
ness of Beth-aven. 

13 And the border went over 
from thence toward Luz, to the 
side of Luz ( k which is Beth-el) 
southward ; and the border de- 
scended to Ataroth-adar, near 
the hill that lieth on the south 
side *of the nether Beth-horon. 

14 And the border was drawn 
thence, and compassed the cor- 
ner of the sea southward, from 
the hill that lieth before Beth- 
horon southward ; and the go- 
ings out thereof were at ra Kir- 
jath-baal (which is Kirjath-jea- 
rim) a city ofthe children of Ju- 
dah. This was the west quar- 
ter. 

15 And the south quarter was 
from the end of Kirjath-jearim, 
and the border went out on the 

i See ch. 15 I. It Gen. 28. 19. Judg. 1. 23. 1 ch. 
16. 3. ir. ch. 15. 9. 

11. And the lot — came up. That is, 
came forth from the urn or vessel in 
which the lots were deposited. And 
so by an easy metaphor it is said im- 
mediately after, that 'the coast came 
forth,' because the lot on which it 
depended came forth. In like man- 
ner it is said, Levit. 16. 9, ' The goat 



west, and went out to r the well 
of waters of Nephtoah : 

16 And the border . came 
down to the end of the mountain 
that lieth before °the valley of 
the son of Hinnom, and which is 
in the valley ofthe giants on the 
north, and descended to the val- 
ley of Hinnom, to the side of 
Jebusi on the south, and descend- 
ed to pEn-rogel, 

17 And was drawn from the 
north, and went forth to En-she- 
mesh, and went forth toward 
Geliloth, which is over against 
the going up of Adummim, and 
descended to nhe stone of Bohan 
the son of Reuben, 

18 And passed along toward 
the side over against r Arabah 
northward, and went down unto 
Arabah : 

19 And the border passed 
along to the side of Beth-hoglah 
northward : and the out-goings 
of the border were at the north 
bay ofthe salt-sea at the south 
end of Jordan. This was the 
south coast. 

20 And Jordan was the bor- 
der of it on the east side. This 
was the inheritance of the chil- 
dren of Benjamin, by the coasts 
thereof round about, according 
to their families. 

21 Now the cities ofthe tribe 



n ch. 15. 9. 
r ch. 15. 6. 



o ch. 15. 8. p ch. 15. 7. q ch. 15. 6. 



upon which the Lord's lot fell, (Heb. 
upon which the Lord's lot came up.)' 
IT Between the children of Judah and 
the children of Joseph. See on Deut. 
33. 12. The prediction of Moses in 
regard to the lot of Benjamin was re- 
markably fulfilled, as may be seen 
in the note on Deut. 33. 12. 



140 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



of the children of Benjamin ac- 
cording to their families, were 
Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and 
the valley of Keziz. 

22 And Beth-arabah, and Ze- 
maraim, and Beth-el, 

23 And Avim, and Parah, 
and Ophrah, 

24 AndChephar-haammonai, 
and Ophni, and Gaba ; twelve 
cities with their villages : 

25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and 
Beeroth, 

26 And Mizpeh, and Chephi- 
rah, and Mozah, 

27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, 
and Taralah, 



CHAPTER XIX. 

1. The second lot came forth. Out 
of the urn. See on ch. 18. 11. 
TT For the tribe of the children of Si- 
meon. Exegetical of the preceding 
word ' Simeon,' showing that the 
names of persons are employed, as we 
have often elsewhere remarked, in 
a collective sense for the political 
bodies, the tribes, kingdoms, or coun- 
tries of which they are the founders. 
IF Their inheritance was within the 
inheritance of the children of Judah. 
It would seem that the first rude sur- 
vey had led to an erroneous impres- 
sion of the extent of the country. 
They had supposed it to be much 
larger than it really was. Under 
this impression they had assigned a 
large territory to Judah, taking it for 
granted that the lots of the other 
tribes would be in the same propor- 
tion. But upon closer examination 
it was found that at that rate of as- 
signment the land would not hold 
out, and some of the tribes must be 
very much scanted or left wholly 
destitute of their just inheritance. 
The obvious expedient was to take 
a part of the territory of Judah and 
allot it to Simeon. The inheritance 
of this tribe therefore is said to have 
fallen within the inheritance of Ju- 



28 And Zelah, Eleph, and *Je- 
busi, (which zs Jerusalem) Gibe- 
ath, and Kirjath ; fourteen cities 
with their villages. This is the in- 
heritance ofthe children of Benja- 
min according to their families. 



CHAPTER XIX. 
A ND the second lot came forth 
■^ to Simeon, even for the tribe 
the children of Simeon according 
to their families : a and their in- 
heritance was within the inher- 
itance of the children of Judah. 
2 And b they had in their inhe- 
ritance, Beer-sheba, and Sheba, 
and Moladah, 

sch. 15. 8. av. 9. b 1 Chr. 4. 28. 

dah, because it was included within 
the original limits ofthe latter tribe, 
and is elsewhere seldom or never 
spoken of as a distinct district. In 
this arrangement the providence of 
God is to be especially noted, as Ja- 
cob, in the spirit of prophecy, had 
foretold that Simeon and Levi should 
be ' divided in Jacob,' and c scattered 
in Israel.' Gen. 49. 7. This was 
accordingly most literally fulfilled 
in the manner in which these tribes 
were now disposed of. Levi was 
'scattered' throughout all the land 
not having received any distinct in- 
heritance, but only certain ' cities to 
dwell in;' and Simeon, as we here 
learn, was ' divided ' or dispersed 
over the territories of Judah instead 
of having one of their own. This 
arrangement brought them into con- 
federacy with the tribe of Judah, 
Judg. 1. 3, and afterwards was the 
occasion of the adherence of many 
of this tribe to the house of David at 
the lime ofthe revolt ofthe ten tribes 
to Jeroboam. 2 Chron. 15. 9, ' out 
of Simeon they fell to Asa in abun- 
dance.' 

2. Beersheba, Sheba. Heb. ' Beer- 
sheba and (or even) Sheba.' That 
one and the same city is designated 
by both these names is clear from the 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XIX. 



141 



3 And Hazar-shual, and Ba- 
lah, and Azem, 

4 And Eltolad, and Bethul, 
and Hormah, 

5 And Ziklag, and Beth-ma- 
rcaboth, and Hazar-susah, 

6 And Beth-lebaoth, and Sha- 
ruben ; thirteen cities and their 
villages : 

7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, 
and Ashan ; four cities and their 
villages : 

8 And all the villages that 
were round about these cities to 
Baalathbeer, Ramath of the 
south. This is the inheritance 
of the tribe of the children of 
Simeon according to their fa- 
milies. 

9 Out of the portion of the 



fact that otherwise there would have 
been fourteen cities instead of thir- 
teen. Besides, in 1 Chron. 4. 28, 
where Simeon's cities are enumera- 
ted, the mention of Sheba is omitted 
as superfluous. As to the import of 
these names, see on Gen. 21. 31, 32. 
In the description of the lots of Ju- 
dah and Benjamin, an account is 
given both of the limits by which 
they were bounded and of the cities 
contained in them. In that of 
Ephraim and Manasseh the bounda- 
ries are given , but not the cities. In 
this chapter Simeon and Dan are de- 
scribed by their cities only, and not 
by their borders, because they were 
small and the former lay within the 
limits of another tribe. The rest 
have both their borders described, 
and their cities named. 

9. The part of the children of Ju- 
dah was too much for them. Too 
large in proportion to the other tribes, 
and too large for their actual neces- 
sities ; although, as being the most 
numerous of all the tribes, it might 
justly claim a more extensive terri- 
tory than any of the rest. Yet when 
13 



children of Judah was the inher- 
itance of the children of Simeon : 
for the part of the children of 
Judah was too much for them : 
therefore the children of Simeon 
had their inheritance within the 
inheritance of them. 

10 And the third lot came up 
for the children of Zebulun ac- 
cording to their families : and 
the border of their inheritance 
was unto Sarid : 

11 d And their border went up 
toward the sea, and Maralah, 
and reached to Dabbasheth, and 
reached to the river that is be- 
fore Jokneam, 

12 And turned from Sarid, 
eastward, toward the sun-rising, 
unto the border of Chlsloth-tabor 



it was found that they could not in- 
sist upon the original allotment with- 
out manifest injustice to the other 
tribes, the men of Judah submitted 
without a murmur to relinquish a 
part of their possession. They will 
take no advantage of an uninten- 
tional error by withholding that 
which equit}' and kindness would 
require them to give up. The same 
generous principle will operate in 
like manner with every good man. 
If he has chanced, through the inad- 
vertency or mistake of another, to 
gain an undue advantage in a con- 
tract, he will cheerfully waive his 
right and make all the concessions 
which, in similar circumstances, he 
would wish to have made to himself. 
He will, as the apostle enjoins; ; <k)ok 
upon the things of others, as well as 
upon his own. 

10. The third lot came up for the 
children of Zebulun. Though Zeb- 
ulun was younger than Issachar, yet 
both in the prophetic blessing of Ja- 
cob and of Moses he came before 
him, and in like manner he has the 
precedency here also in the allot- 



142 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



and then goeth out to Daberath, 
and goeth up to Japhia, 

13 And from thence passeth 
on along on the east to Gittah- 
hepher, to Ittah-kazin, and goeth 
out to Remmon-methoar to 
Neah ; 

14 And the border compasseth 
it on the north side to Hanna- 
thon : and the out-goings there- 
of are in the valley of Jiphthah- 
el: 

15 And Kattath,and Nahallal, 
and Shimron, and Idalah, and 
Beth-lehem ; twelve cities with 
their villages. 

16 This is the inheritance of 
the children of Zebulun accor- 
ding to their families, these cities 
with their villages. 

17 IF And the fourth lot came 
out to Issachar, for the children 
of Issachar according to their 
families. 

18 And their border was to- 
ward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, 
and Shunem, 

19 And Hapharaim, and Shi- 
hon, and Anaharath, 

20 And Rabbith, and Kishion, 
and Abez, 

21 And Remeth, and En-gan- 
nim, and En-haddah, and Beth- 
pazzez ; 



merit of his inheritance. Provi- 
dence is wonderful in its correspon- 
dence with prophecy. The lot of 
this tribe was washed by the Medi- 
terranean on the west, and by the 
sea of Galilee on the east, agreeably 
to Jacob's prediction, Gen. 49. 13, 
that Zebulun should be ' a haven of 
ships. 5 
15. Beth-lehem. A place lying at 



22 And the coast reacheth to 
Tabor, and Shahazimah, and 
Bethshemish ; and the out-goings 
of their border were at Jordan : 
sixteen cities with their villages. 

23 This is the inheritance of 
the tribe of the children of Issa- 
char according to their families, 
the cities and their villages. 

24 IF And the fifth lot came 
out for the tribe of the children 
of Asher according to their fa- 
milies. 

25 And their border was Hel- 
kath, and Hali and Beten, and 
Achshaph, 

26 And Alammelech, and 
Amad, and Misheal ; and reach- 
eth to Carmel westward, and to 
Shihor-libnath ; 

27 And turneth toward the 
sunrising to Beth-dagon, and 
reacheth to Zebulun, and to the 
valley of Jiphthah-el toward the 
north side of Beth-emek, and 
Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul 
on the left hand, 

28 And Hebron, and Rehob, 
and Hammon, and Kanah, f even 
unto great Zidon ; 

29 And then the coast turneth 
to Ramah, and to the strong 
city Tyre ; and the coast turneth 
to Hosah : and the out-goings 

f ch. 11. 8. Judg. 1. 31. 



a great distance to the north of the 
Beth-lehem in Judah where our Lord 
was born. 

25. And their border. The word 
{ border ' or ' boundary ' both here 
and in what follows, is not to be un- 
derstood simply of the boundary line, 
but also of all the towns and lands 
which it embraces. It might be ren- 
dered, ' district ' or { territory. 3 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XIX. 



143 



thereof are at the sea from the 
coast to sAchzib : 

30 Ummah also, and Aphek, 
and Rehob : twenty and two 
cities with their villages. 

31 This is the inheritance of 
the tribe of the children of Ash- 
er according to their families, 
these cities with their villages. 

32 1F The sixth lot came out 
to the children of Naphtali, even 
for the children of Naphtali ac- 
cording to their families. 

33 And their coast was from 
Heleph, from Allon to Zaanan- 
nim, and Adami, Nekeb, and 
Jabneel, unto Lakum ; and the 
out-goings thereof were at Jor- 
dan : 

34 And then h the coast turn- 
eth westward to Aznoth-tabor, 
and goeth out from thence to 
Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebu- 
lun on the south side, and re a h- 
eth to Asher on the west ride, 
and to Judah upon Jordan to- 
ward the sun-rising. 

35 And the fenced cities are 
Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, 
Rakkath, and Cinneroth, 

g Gen. 38. 5. Judg. 1. 31. Mic. i. 14. h Deut. 
33. 23. 

30. Twenty and two cities. The 
above enumeration gives us nearly 
thirty cities instead of twenty-two, 
but probably several are mentioned 
which were only frontier towns, 
sometimes reckoned as belonging to 
one tribe, and sometimes to another, 
or perhaps some of the appendant 
villages are named, as well as the 
towns. 

34. To Judah upon Jordan. How 
this is to be understood is not clear. 
It is certain that the tribe of Naph- 
tali did not border on the east nor in 
any other direction, upon Judah, for 



36 And Adamah, and Ramah> 
and Hazor, 

37 And Kedesh, and Edrei, 
and En- hazor, 

38 And Iron, and Migdal-el, 
Horem, and Beth-anath, and 
Beth-shemesh ; nineteen cities 
with their villages.. 

39 This is the inheritance of 
the tribe of the children of Naph- 
tali according to their families 
the cities and their villages. 

40 IF And the seventh lot 
came out for the tribe of the 
children of Dan according to 
their families. 

41 A id the coast of their in- 
heritance was Zorah, and Esh- 
taol, and Ir-shemesh, 

42 And iShaalabbin, and Aja- 
lon, and Jethlah, 

43 And Elon, and Thimna- 
thah, and Ekron, 

44 And Eltekeh, and Gibbe- 
thon, and Baalath, 

45 A ad Jehud, and Bene-be- 
rak, and Gath-rimmon, 

46 And Me-jarkon and Rak- 
kon, with the border before Jap- 
ho. 

i Judg. 1. 35. 



there were several tribes that lay be- 
tween them. Both tribes, however, 
were bounded by the Jordan on the 
east, and they might be considered 
as in some sort conjoined by the easy 
communication with each other by 
means of that river. This we deem 
the only plausible interpretation of 
the passage, and thus understood it 
goes strikingly to illustrate the ob- 
scure prediction of Moses, Deut. 33. 
23, that Naphtali should ' possess the 
west and the south,' i. e. that although 
his settlement should be in the west 
or northwest, yet by means of the 



144 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



47 And k the coast of the chil- 
dren of Dan, went out too Utile 
for them : therefore the children 
of Dan went up to fight against 
Leshem, and took it, and smote 
it with the edge of the sword, 
and possessed it, and dwelt there- 
in, and called Leshem, *Dan, after 
the name of Dan their father. 

48 This is the inheritance of 
the tribe of the children of Dan 



k See Judg, IS. 



1 Judg. 13. 29. 



navigation of the Jordan , he should 
avail himself of the advantages of 
traffic with all the southern section 
of the land. 

47. The coast of the children of Dan 
went out too little for them. Heb. 
'went out from them;' i. e. out of 
their hands, out of their possession. 
A similar usage of the Heb. verb oc- 
curs Lev. 25. 28 — 33, where the lands 
in the year of jubilee are said to * go 
out ;' i. e. out of the hands of the pre- 
sent possessor, to the original owner. 
The meaning here undoubtedly is, 
that the Danites, being closely press- 
ed upon by their powerful neighbors 
the Philistines, were forced in con- 
siderable numbers to abandon their 
allotted possessions. In consequence 
of having their original portion thus 
wrested out of their hands, they were 
induced to seek another in a distant 
quarter of the land, and made an in- 
road accordingly upon Leshem, lying 
at the foot of mount Lebanon and near 
the sources of the river Jordan, This 
event, which occurred some time 
after the death of Joshua, and is more 
fully recorded, Judg. 18. 1 — 29, is 
touched upon here both to complete 
what is said of the inheritance of the 
Danites, and to intimate how it hap- 
pened, that a part of the tribe were 
afterwards found inhabiting a dis- 
trict of the country so remote from 
their original possessions. This ad- 
dition to the narrative was perhaps 
made by Phineas. 

49. The children of Israel gave an 
inheritance to Joshua. As it is said 



according to their families, these 
cities with their villages. 

49 IF When they had made 
an end of dividing the land for 
inheritance by their coasts, the 
children of Israel gave an inher- 
itance to Joshua the son of Nun 
among them : 

50 According to the word of 
the Lord they gave him the city 
which he asked, even m Timcath- 



immediately afterwards, v. 50, that 
Joshua received his inheritance { ac- 
cording to the word of the Lord,' it 
could be considered no otherwise the 
gift of the people, than as they cheer- 
fully acquiesced in the assignment, 
and were glad of an opportunity of 
thus testifying, by their hearty con- 
currence, their affection for their 
venerable leader and their interest 
in his comfortable settlement in his 
old age. On his part, he evinced a 
striking moderation and disinterest- 
edness, and proposed a noble exam- 
ple to all in public places, in making 
no provision for himself till he saw 
all the tribes fixed in their respective 
inheritances. This was acting in 
the true spirit of a public servant — 
to prefer the general welfare to his 
private convenience, ease, or emol- 
ument. So the servants of Christ, 
while they fully appreciate and ar- 
dently covet an inheritance in the 
Canaan above, -will deem it soon 
enough to enter upon it when they 
have done all in their power towards 
bringing others to partake of the 
same glorious possession. 

50. According to the word of the 
Lord. According to the promise of 
the Lord ; made probably at the same 
time^that a particular inheritance 
was promised to Caleb. This is to be 
inferred from Caleb's words, ch. 14. 
6, who in speaking to Joshua says, 
' Thou knowest the things that the 
Lord said unto Moses the man of 
God concerning me and thee in Ka- 
desh-barnea. 5 As Joshua had, on the 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XX. 



145 



n serah in mount Ephraim : and 
he built the city, and dwelt 
therein. 

51 °These are the inheritances 
which Eieazar the priest and Jo- 
shua the son of Nun, and the 
heads of the fathers of the tribes 
of the children of Israel, divided 
for an inheritance by lot pin 
Shiloh before the Lord, at the 
door of the tabernacle of the con- 



n 1 Chr. 7. 24. 
13. 1, 10. 



o Num. 34. 17. ch. Jf4. 1. p ch. 



occasion referred to, evinced equal 
courage and fidelity with Caleb, it 
is reasonable to suppose that he re- 
ceived the same tokens of the divine 
approbation. IT Timnath-serah. 

Called Timnath-heres, Judg. 2. 9. 
where we learn that the name of the 
mountain on which it stood was Ga- 
ask. It was here that Joshua was bu- 
ried, ch. 24. 30. IT He built the city. 
Repaired it, put it in order, perhaps 
enlarged and adorned it. In this 
sense Nebuchadnezzar is said Dan. 
4. 30, ' to have built Babylon.' 

51. These are the inheritances, &c. 
This verse is inserted as a general 
conclusion to all that has been thus 
far said of the distribution of the 
land among the several tribes. The 
writer now turns to another sub- 
ject. 

CHAPTER XX. 

2. Appoint out for you cities of re- 
fuge. Heb. 'give for yourselves. 5 
No delinquency on the part of Josh- 
ua is to be inferred from this com- 
mand, as if he had neglected, or were 
likely to neglect, a very important 
part of the arrangements designed to 
be'carried into effect after the settle- 
ment of Israel in Canaan. He was 
well aware of the divine intention 
in this respect, and would doubtless 
have acted upon it, as well as upon 
every other order with which he 
was charged, but God saw fit to inter- 
pose to remind him that now was the 
precise time, when the tribes had just 
13* 



gregation. So they made an end 
of dividing the country. 



CHAPTER XX. 
r PHE Lord also spake unto Jo - 
- 1 - shua, saying, 

2 Speak to the children of 
Israel, saying, a Appoint out for 
you cities of refuge, whereof I 
spake unto you by the hand of 
Moses : 

a Ex. 21. 13. Num. 35. 6, 11, 14. Deut. 19. 2, 9- 



received their inheritances, and 
while they were yet together, to se- 
parate the cities of- refuge for the 
uses for which they were intended, 
and respecting which such copious 
instructions had been before given, 
Num. 35. 11—34. Deut. 19. 2—10. 
To the notes on these passages the 
reader is referred for a fuller account 
of the nature and object of this insti- 
tution. It was an essential appen- 
dage to the patriarchal system of go- 
vernment, as far as the avenging of 
blood was concerned. It has been 
already remarked, that the nearest of 
kin to a deceased person had not only 
the right of redeeming an inheri- 
tance that had been forfeited or ali- 
enated, but had also authority to slay 
on the spot the person who had slain 
his relative. But as a man might 
casually kill another against whom 
he had no ill will, and with whom 
he had no quarrel, and might thus 
be liable to lose his own life unde- 
servedly, at the hands of the avenger 
of blood, these privileged cities were 
wisely and humanely appointed for 
the protection of those who had com- 
mitted accideDtal homicide, till the 
cause could receive a judicial hear- 
ing from the magistrate. They had 
authority, according as, upon strict 
examination, they found him guilty 
or not of wilful murder, to deliver 
him up to the avenger of blood, or, 
after the lapse of a certain time, to 
grant him a discharge. IT By the 
hand of Moses. By the ageney, by 



146 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



3 That the slayer that killeth 
any person unawares and unwit- 
tingly, may flee thither : and 
they shall be your refuge from 
the avenger of blood. 

4 And when he that doth flee 
unto one of those cities shall 
stand at the entering of b the gate 
of the city, and shall declare his 
cause in the ears of the elders of 
tha f city, they shall take him into 
the city unto them, and give him 
a place, that he may dwell 
among them. 

5 c And if the avenger of blood 



bRutb 4. 1,2. 



c Num. 35. 12. 



the ministry of Moses ; by him as 
an organ of communication. 

* 3. The slayer that killeth any per- 
son. Heb. 'that srniteth (i. e, fatal- 
ly) any souh' On this frequent sense 
of the word ' soul/ see note on Gen, 
12. 5. IT Unawares and univitting- 
ly. Het. ' through ignorance, error, 
or mistake, and without knowledge. 7 
The conditions are stated with the 
utmost explicitness y in words amount- 
ing almost to repetition, as is evident- 
ly proper where a matter of so much 
consequence as the life of a human 
being is concerned. In cases of wilful 
murder, no place whatever could af- 
ford protection. A man might be 
taken even from the temple, or the 
horns of the altar. Ex. 21. 14. 
2 Kings 2. 31, 34. 

4. Shall stand at the entering of the 
gate. The usual place of judicature 
among the people of the East. TT 
Shall declare his cause. Shall give 
a true, honest, and exact statement 
of all the circumstances under which 
the accident occurred. IT They 

shall take him into the city. Heb. 

* shall gather him.' Provided they 
are satisfied, from his relation of the 
facts, that he is innocent. IT That 
he may dwell among them. It may be 
asked why, if the proper judges were 
satisfied of his innocence of the 
crime of wilful murder, he were not 



pursue after him, then they shall 
not deliver the slayer up into 
his hand ; because he smote his 
neighbor unwittingly, and hated 
him not beforetime. 

6 And he shall dwell in that 
city, d until he stand before the 
congregation for judgment and 
until the death of the high priest 
that shall be in those days : then 
shall the slayer return, and come 
unto his own city, and unto his 
own house, unto the city from 
whence he fled, 

7 1F And they appointed e Ke- 

d Num. 35. 12, 25. e ch. 21. 32. 1 Chr. 6. 76. 



at once dismissed from their juris- 
diction, and suffered to go at large 
as usual. The proper reply doubt- 
less is, (1.) That he might still be 
in danger from the enraged passions 
of the pursuer. (2.) He was to await 
the issue of another trial, v. 6. (3.) 
His detention was probably designed 
as somewhat of a punishment for the 
rashness, or heedlessness to which 
the homicide was owing. Some- 
thing of a penalty was to be paid for 
carelessness, as well as for crime. 

6. Until he stand before the congre- 
gation for judgment. In order to a 
still greater security for the interests 
of justice, and to guard with the ut- 
most vigilance against a wrong de- 
cision, another hearing seems to 
have been appointed, after a consi- 
derable interval, and before a larger 
court, whose verdict was to be final 
in the case. It is probable that the 
1 congregation' here spoken of was 
that of his ow r n city, or of the people 
at large, who were also allowed to 
constitute a tribunal, and to sit in 
judgment on the case. Compare 
notes on Num. 35. 25. IT Until the 
death of the high priest. See on 
Num. 35. 25. 

7. And they appointed. Heb. 
'sanctified, consecrated;' a term im- 
plying the peculiar sacredness which 
God w r ould have attached in the 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



147 



desh in Galilee in mount Naph- 
tali, and f Shechem in mount 
Ephraim, and sKirjath-arba, 

(which is Hebron) in the foun- 
tain of Judah. 

8 And on the other side Jordan 
by Jericho eastward, they as- 
signed iBezer in the wilderness 
upon the plain out of the tribe of 
Reuben, and k Ramoth in Gilead 
out of the tribe of Gad, and iGo- 
lan in Bashan out of the tribe of 
Manasseh. 

9 m These were the cities ap- 
pointed for all the children of 
Israel, and for the stranger that 
sojourneth among them, that 

f ch. 21. 21. 2 Chr. in. 1. g oh. 14 15. & 21. 11, 13. 
h Luk- 1 39. i Deut. 4. 43. ch. 21 36. 1 Chr. 6 78. 
k ch. 21. 38. 1 Kin. 22. 3. 1 ch. 21. 27. m Num. 35. 15. 



whosoever killeth any person at 
unawares might flee thither, and 
not die by the hand of the aven- 
ger of blood, "until he stood be- 
fore the congregation. 



minds of his people to this institution. 
Accordingly they are sometimes, 
though not perhaps by the sacred 
writers, called sanctuaries. IT In 
mount Napktali. Or, Heb. ' in the 
mountain,' i. e. the mountainous re- 
gion, or district of Naphtali ; and so 
in respect to the two other places 
mentioned. They were situated on 
high hills that they might be more 
conspicuous at a distance. It may 
also be remarked of these cities, (1.) 
That they were located at conveni- 
ent distances from each other for 
the benefit of the several tribes. So 
of those here mentioned, Kedesh was 
in the northern, Shechem in the 
central, and Hebron jin the southern 
district of Canaan. (*2.) They were 
all Levitical cities ; which appears 
to have been so ordered, that the 
cases of manslaughter might come 
under the cognizance of those who 
might be presumed to be most thor- 
oughly versed in the law of God, 
and most competent to give judg- 
ment according to it, and who more- 
over would be less likely than any 
others to be swayed by private bias 
in their decisions. Compare Deut. 
21. 5, where it is said of the priests, 



CHAPTER XXI. 
fT^HEN came near the heads 
-*- of the fathers of the Levites 
unto a Eleazar the priest, and un- 
to Joshua the son of Nun, and 
unto the heads of the fathers of 
the tribes of the children of 
Israel ; % 

2 And they spake unto them 
at b Shiloh in the land of Canaan, 
saying, c The Lord commanded 



c Nam. 35. 2 



a ch. 14. 1. & 17. 4. 



bch. 18. 1. 



the sons of Levi, that ■ by their word 
shall every controversy and every 
stroke be tried.' See also to the same 
purpose Deut. 17. 8—13, and the 
notes on Deut. 33. 9, 10. 

8. They assigned. Or, { had as- 
signed,' for the assignment had been 
previously made by Moses, Deut. 4. 
41 — 43 ; or the meaning may be, that 
they formally acknowledged, con- 
firmed, and ratified the selection that 
Moses had before made of these 
ciries. 

9. Until he stood before the congre- 
gation. The judges and elders of 
the people^ in trying civil and cri- 
minal causes, always sat; the per- 
sons who came for judgment, or who 
were tried always stood. Hence the 
expressions so frequent in the Scrip- 
ture, ' Standing before the Lord, be- 
fore the judges, before the elders,' 
&c, 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. The heads of the fathers of the 
Levites. The most distinguished 
persons among the fathers, chiefs, 
or elders of the three families of 
Kohath, Gershom, and Merari, 
which constituted the body of the 



148 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



by the hand of Moses to give us 
cities to dwell in, with the sub- 
urbs thereof for our cattle. 

3 And the children of Israel 
gave unto the Levites out of 
their inheritance, at the com- 
mandment of the Lord, these 
cities and their suburbs. 



tribe of Levi. They here make 
their petition precisely at the time 
when it could be most conveniently 
granted, viz. just after the allotments 
had been made to the other tribes. 
Whether this was prior or subse- 
quent to the designation of the cities 
of refuge, mentioned in the forego- 
ing chapter, it is not possible to de- 
termine. 

3. The children of Israel gave un- 
to the Levites. They cheerfully obey- 
ed the divine command. They gave 
them cities out of their several in- 
heritances, without any fear of be- 
ing impoverished by the appropria- 
tion. Nor will men ever find them- 
selves sufferers in their temporal 
interests, in consequence of a liberal 
allowance to the ministers of the 
sanctuary. These cities were as- 
signed by lot, that it might fully ap- 
pear that God designed the Levites 
their habitations, as he designed the 
others their inheritances. The re- 
sult of this arrangement would na- 
turally be, that the Levites would be 
dispersed in every part of the land, 
to instruct the people in the knowl- 
edge of the divine law, to edify them 
by their example, to restrain them 
from idolatry, and prompt them to a 
constant adherence to the worship of 
Jehovah, the only true God. Thus 
the prophetic sentence of the patri- 
arch, Gen. 49. 7, that they should be 
* divided in Jacob* and scattered in 
Israel,' though originally carrying 
with it a punitive import, was 
through the special mercy of heaven 
converted to a blessing to themselves 
and to the nation. IF These cities. 
Referring to those which are enu- 
merated in the sequel of this chapter. 



4 And the lot came out for the 
families of the Kohathites: and 
d the children of Aaron the priest, 
which were of the Levites, e had 
by lot out of the tribe of Judah, 
and out of the tribe of Simeon, 
and out of the tribe of Benjamin, 
thirteen cities. 

d ver. 8, 19. e See ch. 24. 33. 

4. And the lot came out. It would 
seem that a certain number of cities 
were previously designated and set 
apart en masse, as the habitations of 
the Levites, and that the particular 
appropriation of them to the several 
families and their branches was then 
determined by lot. IT The children 
of Aaron the priest. All the Ko- 
hathites were children of Aaron, in 
being lineally descended from him, 
but they were not all priests ; where- 
as the phrase ■ children of Aaron' 
here is but another name for the 
priests, his successors in office ; and 
these had their allotment of cities in 
the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and 
Benjamin ; the rest, who were mere- 
ly- Levites and not priests, had their 
lot, as appears from v. 5, in the tribes 
of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe 
of Manasseh. The providence of 
God in this assignment is very re- 
markable, as in consequence of it 
the priestly part of Aaron's posterity, 
who were the stated ministers of 
the sanctuary, the seat of which was 
afterwards to be fixed at Jerusalem, 
had their location nearest to that city, 
so that they were always convenient- 
ly situated with reference to the work 
to which they were appointed. IT 
Thirteen cities. This was a large 
proportion for the- present number 
of priests, which was small, but in 
view of the prospective increase of 
this body, and their future wants, it 4 
was no more than was requisite. 
As to the nature of the tenure by 
which the Levites, held these ap- 
propriated cities, the probability is 
that they had no other property in 
them than merely the right to cer- 
tain places of habitation, which they 



A. C. 1444.] 

5 And f the rest of the children 
of Kohath had by lot out of the 
families of the tribe of Ephraim, 
and out of the tribe of Dan, and 
out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 
ten cities. 

6 And nhe children of Ger- 
shon had by lot out of the families 
of the tribe of Issachar, and out 
of the tribe of Asher, and out of 
the tribe of Naphtali, and out of 
the half- tribe of Manasseh in 
Bashan, thirteen cities. 

7 h The children of Merari by 
their families Ibad out of the tribe 
of Reuben, and out of the tribe 
of Gad, and out of the tribe of 
Zebulun, twelve cities. 

8 iAnd the children of Israel 
gave by lot unto the Levites 

(v. 20, &c. gv. 27, &c. h v. 34, &c i t. 3. 



CHAPTER XXT. 



149 



might let or sell, but always with 
the right of perpetual redemption; 
and with the understanding that they 
were to return to them in the year 
of jubilee. But on this head see notes 
on Lev. 25. 32, 3.3. 

5. Out of the tribe of Dan, <frc, ten 
cities. A less number than was 
given out of the tribes above-men- 
tioned, because their inheritance 
was less. The law by which the 
appropriation was to be regulated is 
contained Num. 35. 8, ' And the cit- 
ies which ye shall give shall be the 
Eossession of Israel ; from them that 
ave many (cities), ye shall give 
many ; but from them that have few, 
ye shall give few ; every one shall 
give of his cities unto the Levites, 
according to his inheritance which 
he inheriteth. 5 It may be remarked, 
that there is no evidence that the 
priests were bound to live in these, 
and in no other cities. When the 
tabernacle was at Nob, both the 
priests and Levites dwelt there, 
1 Sam. 21. 1 — 7 ; and when the wor- 



these cities with their suburbs, k as 
the Lord commanded by the 
hand of Moses. 

9 IF And they gave out of the 
tribe of the children of Judah, 
and out of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Simeon, these cities 
which are here mentioned by 
name, 

10 i Which the children of Aa- 
ron, being of the families of the 
Kohathites, mho were of the child- 
ren of Levi, had : for theirs 
was the first lot. 

11 m And they gave them fche 
city of Arba the father of n Anak 
(which city is Hebron) °in the 
hill-country of Judah, with the 
suburbs thereof round about it. 

12 But Pthe fields of the city, 

k Num. 35. 2. 1 vev. 4- m 1 Chr. 6. 55. n eh. 
15. 13, 14. o cb. 20. 7. Luke 1. 39. p ch. 14. 14. 
I Chr. 6. 56. 

ship of God was established at Jeru- 
salem, multitudes both of priests and 
Levites resided, there, though it was 
no Levitical city ; as did the courses 
of the priests afterwards at Jericho. 
This was a circumstance which 
Moses had foreseen and for which 
he had provided, Deut, 18. 6, &c. 
So, on the other hand, persons be- 
longing to the other tribes were not 
precluded from living in the Leviti- 
cal cities ; as for instance Gibeah of 
Benjamin, which is here made a 
Levitical city, v. 17, was always 
peopled by the Benjamites, as ap- 
pears from Judg. 19. 

1 2. The fields of the city — gave they 
to Caleb. As it would not necessa- 
rily involve the exclusion of himself 
or his family from a residence in the 
city, he probably gave it to the priests 
in order to set an example to his 
brethren of cheerfully contributing 
to the maintenance of religion. See 
on ch. 14. 6—15. 

25. Tanach with her suburbs, and 
Gath-rimmon. In the parallel pas- 



150 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



and the villages thereof, gave 
they to Caleb the son of Jephun- 
neh for his possession. 

13 IF Thus nhey gave to the 
children of Aaron the priest, 
r Hebron with her suburbs to be 
a city of refuge for the slayer : 
s and Libnah with her suburbs, 

14 And tJatir with her sub- 
urbs, u and Eshtemoa with her 
suburbs, 

15 And x Holon with her sub- 
urbs, yand Debir with her sub- 
urbs, 

16 And z Ain with her suburbs, 
a and Juttah with her suburbs, 
and b Beth-shemesh with her 
suburbs ; nine cities out of those 
two tribes. 

17 And out of the tribe of 
Benjamin^ c Gibeon with her sub- 
urbs, d Gcba with her suburbs, 

18 Anathoth with her sub- 
urbs, and e Almon with her sub- 
urbs ; four cities. 

19 All the cities of the chil- 
dren of Aaron, the priests, were 
thirteen cities with their suburbs. 

20 f f And the families of the 
children of Kohath, the Levites 
which remained of the children 
of Kohath, even they had the 
cities of their lot out of the tribe 
of Ephraim. 



q 1 Chr. 6. 57, &c 
15/42. t ch. 15. 48. 



rch. 15. 54. & 20.7. s ch. 

u ch. 15. 50. x 1 Chr. 6. 58, 
ch. 15. 51. y ch. 15 49. z 1 Chr. 6. 59. ch. 15. 42. 
a ch 15. 55. b ch .15. 10. c ch. 18. 25. d ch. 18. 24. 
e 1 Chr. 6. 60. f ver. 5. 1 Chr. 6. 66. 



sage, 1 Chron. 6. 70, Aner and Bi- 
leam are mentioned instead of the 
above. A careful examination of 
the two catalogues will discover 
several other discrepancies of the 
same kind, which are probably ow- 
ing to the fact, either that some of 
the cities were called by different 



21 For they gave them -She- 
chem with her suburbs in mount 
Ephraim, to be a city of refuge 
for the slayer ; and Gezer with 
her suburbs, 

22 And Kibzaim with her sub- 
urbs, and Beth-horon with her 
suburbs, four cities. 

23 And out of the tribe of 
Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, 
Gibbethon with her suburbs, 

24 Aijalon with her suburbs, 
Gath- rimmon with her suburbs ; 
four cities. 

25 And out of the half-tribe of 
Manasseh, Tanach with her sub- 
urbs, and Gath-rimmon with her 
suburbs ; two cities. 

26 All the cities were ten with 
their suburbs, for the families of 
the children of Kohath that re- 
mained. 

27 IT h And unto the children 
of Gershon, of the families of the 
Levites, out of the other half- 
tribe of Manasseh they gave i Go- 
lan in Bashan with her suburbs, 
to be a city of refuge for the 
slayer, and Beesh-terah with her 
suburbs ; two cities. 

28 And out of the tribe of 
Issachar, Kishon with her sub- 
urbs, Dabareh with her suburbs, 

29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, 

g ch . 20. 7. h \er. 6. 1 Chr. 6. 71. i ch. 20. 8. 



names, or that their names in pro- 
cess of time were changed. Others 
conjecture that some of the cities 
here enumerated being at this time 
in possession of the Canaanites, and 
not easily to be taken out of their 
hands, others were given them in 
their stead. 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



151 



En-gannim with her suburbs; 
four cities. 

30 And out of the tribe of As- 
her, Mishal with her suburbs, 
Abdon with her suburbs, 

31 Helkath with her suburbs, 
and Rehob with her suburbs ; 
four cities. 

32 And out of the tribe of 
Naphtali, k Kedesh in Galilee 
with her suburbs, to be a city of 
refuge for the slayer : and Ham- 
moth-dor with her suburbs, and 
Kartan with her suburbs, three 
cities. 

33 All the cities of the Ger- 
shonites, according to their fa- 
milies, were thirteen cities with 
their suburbs. 

34 IF iAnd unto the families of 
the children of Merari, the rest 
of the Levites, out of the tribe 
of Zebulun, Jokneam with her 
suburbs, and Kartah with her 
suburbs, 

35 Dimnah with her suburbs, 
Nahalal with her suburbs ; four 
cities. 

36 And out of the tribe of 
Reuben, m Bezer with her sub- 



urbs, and Jahazah with her sub- 
urbs, 

37 Kedemoth with her sub- 
urbs, and Mephaath with her sub- 
urbs ; four cities. 

38 And out of the tribe of 
Gad, "Ramoth in Gilead with 
her suburbs, to be a city of re- 
fuge for the slayer ; and Maha- 
naim with her suburbs, 

39 Heshbon with her suburbs, 
Jazer with her suburbs ; four 
cities in all. 

40 So all the cities for the 
children of Merari by their fam- 
ilies, which were remaining of 
the families of the Levites, were 
by their lot twelve cities. 

41 °A11 the cities of the Le- 
vites within the possession of the 
children of Israel were forty and 
eight cities with their suburbs. 

42 These cities were every one 
with their suburbs round about 
them. Thus were all these cities. 

43 IT And the Lord gave un- 
to Israel Pall the land which he 
sware to give unto their fathers : 
and they possessed it, and dwelt 
therein. 



k ch. 20. 7. 
20. 8. 



1 ver. 7. See 1 Chr. 6. 77 m ch. 



41. All the cities — were forty and 
eight cities, with their suburbs. This 
was in exact accordance with the 
direction given by Moses several 
years before, as we learn from Num. 
35. 7. This order of Moses is a di- 
rect demonstration that it was given 
under divine inspiration, as other- 
wise, how could he possibly have 
known that so many cities could be 
assigned to the Levites, without un- 
duly encroaching on the limits of 
the other tribes % 

42. These cities were every one 
with their suburbs round about them. 



n ch. 20. 8. o Num. 35. 7. 

15. 18. & 26. 3. & 28. 4, 13. 



p Gen. 13. 15. & 



Heb. 'these cities were city, city, 
and suburbs round about them.' 
That is, they each and every one had 
suburbs attached to them ; by which is 
meant the adjacent territory to the 
extent of two thousand cubits on 
every side ; of which see Num. 35. 5. 
43. And the Lord gave unto Israel 
all the land, &c. The foregoing his- 
tory is here wound up by a suitable 
acknowledgement of the faithfulness 
of God, in the performance of all his 
promises. The Canaanites, it is 
true, were yet in possession of some 
parts of the country, but they were 



152 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



44 ^And the Lord gave them 
rest round about, according to 
all that he sware unto their fa- 
thers : and r there stood not a 
man of all their enemies before 
them ; the Lord delivered all 
their enemies into their hand. 

45 s There failed not aught 
of any good thing which the 
Lord had spoken unto the house 
of Israel ; all came to pass. 

qch. 1.23. k 22. 4. r Deut. 7. 24. s ch. 23. 14 

so far subdued, that they gave them 
no serious molestation, and they 
were enabled to sit down in their 
possessions in the enjoyment of com- 
parative rest and quiet. They had 
as much of the land in actual posses- 
sion as they could occupy ; and as 
they increased God enabled them, 
according to his promise, Ex. 23. 30, 
to carry forward the work of exter- 
mination, and obtain farther room 
for their settlement. All the assu- 
rances given to Joshua, ch. 1. 5, of 
a successful tide of victories during 
his life were accomplished, and as 
to the subsequent annoyance and oc- 
casional prevalence of their enemies, 
it was owing solely to the supine- 
ness and infidelity of Israel . So long 
as they were obedient, they were uni- 
formly triumphant and prosperous. 
See notes on ch. 1.5. ' The inviol- 
able truth of God's promise, and the 
performance of it to the utmost, is 
what all the saints have been ready to 
bear their testimony to ; and if in any 
thing it has seemed to come short, 
they have been as ready to own that 
they themselves must bear all the 
blame.' Henry. ' In due season all 
the promises of God will be accom- 
plished to his true people ; and their 
believing hope, and patient waiting 
and self-denying obedience, will ter- 
minate in' joyful songs of triumph, 
and thankful celebrations of his 
faithfulness, love, and power. Then 
it will be universally acknowledged 
that there hath not failed ought of 
any good thing which the Lord had 



CHAPTER XXII. 
rPHEN Joshua called the Reu- 
benites, and the Gadites, and 
the half- tribe of Manasseh, 

2 And said unto them, Ye 
have kept a all that Moses the 
servant of the Lord command, 
ed 3^011, b and have obeyed my 
voice in all that I commanded 
you : 

3 Ye have not left your 

a Num. 32. 20. Dent. 3. 18. b ch. 1. IB, 17. 



spoken : nay, that he has exceeded 
their largest expectations, and made 
them more than conquerors, and 
brought them to their delightful rest 
and inheritance. May none of us at 
that season be found among his en- 
emies, ' who shall be destroyed for 
ever.' ' Scott. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1. Then Joshua called, &c. The 
war being now, for the present at 
least, concluded, and their services 
no longer required. 

3. Ye have not left your brethren 
these many days unto this day. Pro- 
bably for the space of seven years ; 
for the people were occupied for this 
period of time in subduing the land. 
Yet it is very possible that in the in- 
tervals of action, and when the rest 
of the army had retired into winter- 
quarters, some of them at least may 
have visited their families across the 
Jordan, or been relieved by other de- 
tachments, though we have no clear 
intimation that this was the fact. 
Certain it is that these two tribes and 
a half had always their quota of men, 
originally amounting to 40,000, in 
readiness at their respective posts, 
for any service to which they might 
be called, and after so long a delay 
we can easily imagine how ardently 
they must have longed for the period 
of their release, Avhen they could re- 
turn to their peaceful homes to be 
met with a joyful welcome by their 
wives and children. But like faith- 
ful soldiers they await the full close 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XXII. 



153 



brethren these many clays unlo 
this clay but have kept the 
charge of the commandment of 
the Lord your God. 

4 And now the Lord your 
God hath given rest unto your 
brethren, as lie promised them: 
therefore now return ye and get 
you unto your tents, and unto 
the land of your possession, 



of the war and an honorable dis- 
charge. Had they departed sooner 
they would have been recalled as fu- 
gitives or branded as cowards ; now 
they retire with blessings and ap- 
plause. So though our home in hea- 
ven be ever so attractive, we are re- 
quired to remain contentedly on earth 
till our warfare be accomplished, 
and, instead of anticipating our re- 
moval, to wait for a due discharge 
at the hands of our divine Leader. 

4. Get you unto your tents. To 
your settled habitations, frequently 
called tents in the scriptures. 2 Sam. 
13. 17. Hos. 9. 6. Mai. 2. 12. It is 
probable, however, that they still re- 
tained somewhat of the nomade hab- 
its of their ancestors, and that tents 
were by no means uncommon among 
them. 

5. Take diligent h?ed, &c. Josh- 
ua thinks it not enough merely to 
dismiss them with the commenda- 
tions which their zeal and fidelity 
had so richly merited, but in the 
spirit of a true servant of God, adds 
to his encomiums the most pious 
counsels and exhortations. It is not 
simply a general admonition relative 
to their religious duties, in which 
case one or two brief intimations 
would have sufficed, but the express- 
ions are remarkably varied and ac- 
cumulated, to show in the most for- 
cible manner the unspeakable im- 
portance to every child of man of a 
life of devoted obedience. They 
were to give the most diligent heed 
to themselves to see that the love of 
God, as the great ruling principle of 

14 



c which Moses the servant of 
the Lord gave you on the other 
side Jordan. 

5 But d take diligent heed to 
do the commandment and the 
law, which Moses the servant of 
the Lord charged you, e to love 
the Lord your God and to walk 
in all his ways, and to keep his 
commandments, and to cleave 

d Dcut. 



c Num. 32. S3. 
6. 6, 17. & II. 22. 



Deal. 29. 8. ch. 13. 
eDeui. 10. 12. 



action, was deeply seated in their 
hearts ; this must be evinced by the 
universality of their obedience, ex- 
tending to every divine precept, and 
still further illustrated by the con- 
stancy, humility, resolution, and af- 
fection which were to characterise 
their walk. Counsel like this can 
never be unseasonable or superflu- 
ous. Even the most established Chris- 
tian, whose progress in holiness 
has hitherto been most exemplary, 
cannot deem himself beyond the need 
of similar exhortations. As long as 
he abides in the flesh he needs to be 
' put in remembrance of these things, 
though he knows them, and be estab- 
lished in the present truth.' Especi- 
ally does he need these kindly moni- 
tions when settled down, or about to 
be settled down, in a state of peace 
and prosperity ; for such a state is 
one of peculiar danger to his spirit- 
ual interests. These disbanded sol- 
diers of Israel were now returning to 
the bosom of their families, and the 
peaceful prosecution of their world- 
ly business. They needed, therefore, 
to be reminded of the danger, of 
which Moses had long before warn- 
ed tthem, of forgetting the Lord 
their God while enjoying ' houses 
which they built not, wells which 
they digged not, and vineyards which 
they planted not.' A constant mind- 
fulness of God accordingly was the 
great object of Joshua's solicitude for 
his departing brethren, and in his ex- 
ample we see the spirit of a Christian 
parent or guardian, and what kind 
of counsel he will be most anxious 



154 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



unto him, and to serve him with 
all your heart, and with all your 
soul. 

6 So Joshua f blessed them, 
and sent them away : and they 
went unto their tents. 

7 IF Now to the one half of 
the tribe of Manasseh, Moses 
had given possession in Bash an : 
sbut unto the other half thereof 
gave Joshua among their breth- 
ren on this side Jordan west- 
ward. And when Joshua sent 
them away also unto their tents, 
then he blessed them, 

8 And he spake unto them, 
saying, Return with much riches 
unto your tents, and with very 
much cattle, with silver, and 
with gold, and with brass, and 
with iron, and with very much 



fGen 47. 7. Ex. 39. 43- 
Luke 21. 50. g eh. 1". 5. 



ch. U. 13. 2 Sam. 6. 13. 



to impart to the children of his charge 
when about to retire from his imme- 
diate control and enter upon the wide 
stage of action in the world. 

6. So Joshua blessed them. Spake 
respectfully of their faithful services, 
wished them every spiritual and tem- 
poral good, and prayed earnestly to 
God to protect and prosper them. 
They undoubtedly returned with all 
convenient expedition. It had been 
a long absence, and the meeting was 
no doubt proportionably happy. 
Here below, business, journeys, voy- 
ages, and other casualties are con- 
tinually separating the dearest rela- 
tives ; but they are glad to get home 
in peace. How much happier for 
the Christian pilgrim, when his war- 
fare of life is accomplished, to cross 
Jordan, and meet his brethren in 
glory, the family of God ! 

7. To the one half of the tribe of 
Manasseh, &c. This* appears to 
come in here as a parenthesis, inti- 
mating the reason why the tribe was 
divided into two parts. Moses had 



raiment : h divide the spoil of your 
enemies with your brethren. 

9 IT And the children of Reu- 
ben, and the children of Gad, 
and the half-tribe of Manasseh 
returned, and departed from the 
children of Israel out of Shiloh, 
which is in the land of Canaan, 
to go unto »the country of Gil- 
ead, to the land of their posses- 
sion, whereof they were posses- 
sed, according to the word of the 
Lord by the hand of Moses. 

10 IF And when they came 
unto the borders of Jordan, that 
are in the land of Canaan, the 
children of Reuben, and the 
children of Gad, and the half- 
tribe of Manasseh built there an 
altar by Jordan, a great altar to 
see to. 

hNum 31 27. 15M9.9A.U. i Num. 3.'. 1, 26, 

before assigned one half of them 
their lot on the other side Jordan. 

8. Divide the spoil of your enemies 
icilh your brethren. Your brethren 
that have remained on the other side 
of the Jordan, protecting your fami- 
lies, flocks, and goods. It is not im- 
plied, however, that those who re- 
mained at home were to have an 
equal share of the spoil, as this would 
have been manifestly unjust from 
their superior numbers and inferior 
claims. See on Num. 31. 27. 

10. The borders of Jordan. Heb. 
filb^i^ geliloth, properly the wind- 
ings, meandering s made by the Jor- 
dan in its course, sometimes assum- 
ing almost a circular form, in ac- 
cordance with the sense of the origi- 
nal term, which is used in some ca- 
ses to signify a ring. The altar was 
doubtless erected on the eastern side 
of the Jordan, butjt might have been 
situated upon a projecting tongue or 
promontory of land, that extended 
into the borders of Canaan proper. 
The reader will obseive, moreover, 



A. C. 1444. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



155 



11 IF And the children of 
Israel kheard say, Behold, the 
children of Reuben, and the 
children of Gad, and the half- 
trite of Manasseh, have built an 
alter over against the land of 

k Deut 13. 12, &p. Judg. 20. 12. 

that the word ' are, 7 being printed in 
Italics, does not occur in the origi- 
nal, so that we may as properly ren- 
der it ' is,' and understand the re- 
lative 'that' of the river Jordan. 
*K A great altar to see to. Very con- 
spicuous. Heb. 'an altar great to 
the sight.' A vast mass of earth, 
stones, &c, elevated to a command- 
ing height and visible at a great dis- 
tance ; intended merely as a memo- 
rial to all future ages that they be- 
longed to the tribes of Israel, and that 
they were worshippers of Israel's 
God, but made in imitation of the 
akar of burnt-offering at the taber- 
nacle. Their motive in this was an 
apprehension that at some future pe- 
riod they might be disowned by their 
brethren on account of their not hav- 
ing their inheritance in the land of 
Canaan proper. 

1 1 . Had built an altar oxer against 
the land of Canaan. This may be 
deemed conclusive proof that the site 
of the altar was on the east of the 
Jordan, in the inheritance of the two 
tribes and a half, and not on the west. 
There would have been no cause of 
suspecting it designed for sacrifice, 
had it been built on the Canaan side 
of Jordan, 

12. The whole congregation— gath- 
ered themselves together. Not per- 
haps in their own persons, but by 
their representatives the elders, who 
transacted all affairs of this nature 
in the name and behalf of the peo- 
ple. IT To go up to war against 
them. The case was one that laid a 
just ground for suspicion. Having 
no conception of an altar being erect- 
ed for any purpose but that of sacri- 
fice, the other tribes naturally regard- 
ed it as an act of rebellion against 
God, and determined instantly to go 
and punish the supposed apostates. 



Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, 
at the passage of the children of 
Israel. 

12 And when the children of 
Israel heard of it, nhe whole 
congregation of the children of 

1 Judg. 20. 1. 



By an express command Ex. 20. 24* 
Lev. 17. 8, 9. Deut. 12. 5—13, the 
nation had been prohibited from wor- 
shipping God except at one altar, and 
for what other than a religious pur- 
pose could this structure have been 
reared 1 They moreover felt them- 
selves impelled to this course by the 
tenor of the law, Deut. 13. 7—13, re- 
quiring the most summary judgment 
to be executed upon the individuals 
or cities that should be found setting 
up an idolatrous worship. Their zeal 
for the Lord of hosts under this im- 
pression w T as very commendable. 
Though these trans- Jordanic tribes 
are their own brethren, bone of 
their bone, companions with them in 
tribulation in the wilderness, and 
their generous allies in the wars of 
Canaan, yet if they revolt from the 
true God and turn to the service of 
idols, or openly make a breach in the 
unity of his worship, they are deter- 
mined to treat them no longer as 
brethren, but as enemies who were to 
be cut off as unsparingly as the Ca- 
naanites themselves. Their holy 
jealousy, therefore, in these circum- 
stances was no more than a proper 
expression of their intense concern 
for the glory of God and the honor 
of his institutions. But their zeal 
was tempered with the meekness of 
wisdom, and before proceeding to 
extremities they determined to send 
an embassy to inquire into the 
facts, and if their suspicions were 
confirmed, to see whether they could 
not be prevailed upon by milder 
methods to abandon their wicked en- 
terprise and return to their allegi- 
ance to the GGd of Israel. Instead 
of saying that the case was too clear 
to admit of doubt, or too gross to al- 
low of apology, they evidently go on 
the presumption that they may have 



156 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



Israel gathered themselves to- 
gether at Shiloh, to go. up to war 
against them. 

13 And the children of Israel 
m sent unto the children of Reu- 
ben, and to the children of Gad, 
and to the half-tribe of Manasseh 
into the land of Gdead, n Phine- 
has the son of Eleazar the priest, 

J 4 And with him ten princes, 
of each chief house a prince 
throughout all the tribes of Is- 
rael ; and °each one was a head 
of the house of their fathers 
among the thousands of Israel. 

m Deut. 13. 14. Judg. 20. 12. n Ex. 6. 25. Num. 
25.7. oNnra.1.4. 



been mistaken in their construction 
of the affair, and that at any rate it 
was proper that they should not con- 
demn their brethren unheard, but 
should give them the opportunity of 
justifying themselves in the measure 
if it were possible. According to the 
wise man's direction they will ' upon 
good advice make war.' A noble 
example of moderation, forbearance, 
and charity, shines forth in this con- 
duct. How many an unhappy strife 
might be prevented by similar pre- 
caution, by simply staying to inquire 
calmly into that which constitutes the 
avowed matter of offence ! How often 
would a few words of candid explan- 
ation smother in embryo the most 
angry controversies, violent quar- 
rels, and embittered persecutions! 
By barely adopting the prudent con- 
duct of Israel on this occasion, indi- 
viduals, families, churches, and com- 
munities might, in a thousand instan- 
ces, be saved a world of jealousy, en- 
mity, discord, war and bloodshed. 

13, 14. Phineas—and with him ten 
princes. Persons of age, experience, 
and approved discretion, possessing 
weight of character in the congrega- 
tion, and likely to be influenced more 
by the dictates of cool judgment than 
of hasty passion, were very properly 
selected to act in behalf of the people 



15 IF And they came unto the 
children of Reuben, and to the 
children of Gad, and to the half- 
tribe of Manasseh, unto the land 
of Gilead, and they spake with 
them saying, 

16 Thus saith the whole con- 
gregation of the Lord, What 
trespass is this that ye have 
committed against the God of Is- 
rael, to turn away this day from 
following the Lord, in that ye 
have builded you an altar, Pthat 
ye might rebel this day against 
the Lord ? 

p See Lev. 17. 8, 9. Dent. 12. 13, It. 



on this occasion. The ardent tem- 
perament of younger men could not 
so safely be trusted on such a trying 
emergency. 

16. What trespass is this, &e. 
Without acquitting the ten tribes of 
the charge of somewhat of an undue 
precipitancy in taking up their un- 
favorable impressions, the matter in 
question was one on which they were 
justified in feeling strongly, and act- 
ing promptly. As it now app ^ared 
it was a step fraught with the most 
momentous consequences to the 
whole body of Israel. Repeated oc- 
casions had arisen wherein the sin 
of individuals had been visited upon 
the entire nation. The iniquity of 
Achan had not long since caused the 
defeat of Israel's hosts, together with 
the loss of six and thirty men ; and 
not very long before the connection 
of many with the Midianitish women 
had brought destruction on twenty- 
four thousand Israelites in one da)'. 
What then could be expected, but 
that, if those who had erected the al- 
tar should go unpunished, God would 
punish all the other tribes as partners 
in their guilt ? And if formerly one 
man's sin wrought so much indigna- 
tion, what would be the consequen- 
ces of the apostacy of two tribes and 
a half? To avert so terrible an evil 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XXII. 



157 



17 Is the iniquity ^of Peor too 
little for us, from which we are 
not cleansed until this day, al- 
though there was a plague in 
the congregation of the Lord, 

18 But that ye must turn 
away this day from following 
the Lord ? and it will be, seeing 
ye rebel to-day against the 
Lord, that to-morrow r he will 

q Num. 25. 3, -1. Deut. 4. 3. r Num. 16. 22. 

therefore they felt to be their bound- 
en duty at all events, and in order to 
this nothing could be more effectual 
than plainly reminding them of the 
sad effects of past transgression. ' It 
is good to recollect and improve those 
instances of the wrath of God which 
have fallen out in our own time, and 
of which we ourselves have been eye 
witnesses. The remembrance of 
great sins committed formerly, 
should engage us to stand upon our 
guard against the least occasions and 
beginnings of sin ; for the way of sin 
is down-hill.' Henry. 

17. Is the iniquity of Peor too lit- 
tle for us ? The iniquity of our wor- 
shipping Peor. Num. 25. 3. Deut. 4. 
3. Does this sin seem so small to us 
that we cannot be content with that, 
but must go on adding iniquity to in- 
iquity 1 IT From which we are not 
cleansed until this day. That is, of 
which we have not ceased to suffer 
the consequences to this day. The 
wrath of God was indeed so far ap- 
peased on that occasion by the zeal 
of Phineas, that he stayed the farther 
ravages of the plague, yet the shame, 
the disgrace, the infamy of that trans- 
action still remained, and more than 
this, some tokens of the divine dis- 
pleasure still continued to linger 
among the congregation. As we 
see from the case of David, men may 
repent of a heinous transgression 
and be graciously freed from the 
guilt of it, while at the same time 
they may continue to suffer from its 
evil consequences even to the close 
of life. In the present instance, 
14* 



be wroth with the whole con- 
gregation of Israel. 

19 Notwithstanding, if the 
land of your possession be un- 
clean, then pass ye over unto the 
land of the possession of the Lord, 
s wherein the Lord's tabernacle 
dwelleth, and take possession 
among us : but rebel not against 
the Lord, nor rebel against us, 



however, the words may perhaps im- 
ply that some measure of that cor- 
rupt leaven still remained among 
them, that the infection was not 
wholly cured, and that though sup- 
pressed for the present, it was still 
secretly working and was liable to 
break again with fresh violence, as 
is also intimated in the words of 
Joshua, ch. 24. 23. 

19. If the land of your possession 
be unclean. If you have any preju- 
dice against the land of your inher- 
itance ; if you think it not equally 
with ours under the divine favor 
and protection. They imagined that 
the two tribes and a half might think 
their land less holy for the want of 
an altar and such tokens of the di- 
vine presence as pertained to the 
tabernacle. An opinion was gener- 
ally prevalent among the ancients, 
that those countries, in which there 
was no place set apart for the wor- 
ship of God, were unhallowed and 
unclean. The proposal displayed a 
very generous and disinterested spi- 
rit, a willingness to make sacrifices 
in order to preserve purity, and con- 
sequently peace. Rather than they 
should set up a separate altar from 
a groundless dissatisfaction with 
their inheritance, they would cheer- 
fully welcome them back to the 
other side of the Jordan, ' where the 
Lord's tabernacle dwelt, 5 though they 
should straiten themselves by so do- 
ing. But what was a little inconve- 
nience to themselves when such an 
evil was to be averted, and such a 
good secured 1 How kind, how con- 



158 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



in building you an altar besides 
the altar of the Lord our God. 

20 tDid not Achan the son 
of Zerah commit a trespass in 
the accursed thing, and wrath 
fell on all the congregation of 
Israel ? and that man perished 
not alone in his iniquity. 

t ch. 7. 1. 5. 



ciliating, how self-denying, how 
eager for accommodation, is the 
spirit of true piety ! IT But rebel not 
against the Lord. Implying that a de- 
liberate departure from the instituted 
mode of worship is nothing short of 
downright rebellion against the God 
of heaven. Compare with this the 
parallel expression of Samuel rela- 
tive to the conduct of Saul, 1 Sam. 
15. 13. ir Beside the altar of the 
Lord our God. In addition to it. 

20. Andthat man perished not alone 
in his iniquity. The idea expressed 
in these words of our common trans- 
lation is unquestionably conveyed by 
the original ; still it is not an exact 
version. The literal rendering of 
the Heb. is, 'and he, one man, did 
not perish in his iniquity.' That is, 
though he were but a single individ- 
ual, and it might have been supposed 
that his death would have been the 
winding up of his existence in every 
respect, yet in reality such was his 
relation to the whole people as a sin- 
ner, such the connection between his 
offence and the punishment of the 
whole nation, that in one sense he 
may be said to have survived his 
own death. He still lived in the 
fearful effects of his transgression, 
as visited upon the entire congrega- 
tion. His life and his crime did not 
terminate together. A strikingly 
analogous passage occurs Num. 
27.3. 

21. Then the children of Reuben — 
answered. If we find somewhat to 
blame in each of the opposite parties ; 
in the one, an undue precipitation in 
building the altar, and in the other, 
An undue hastiness in ascribing it to 



21 IT Then the children of Reu- 
ben, and the children of Gad, 
and the half-tribe of Manasseh 
answered, and said unto the 
heads of the thousands of Israel, 

22 The Lord u God of gods, 
the Lord God of gods, he x know- 
eth, and Israel he shall know ; if 



uDeut. 10. 17. 
10. Ps. 4:1. 21. & 
11.31. 



x 1 Kin. 8, 39. Job 10. 7. & 23. 
139. 1, 2. Jer. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 11. 



wrong intentions, we yet behold very 
much to admire in both. When the 
accusers found themselves mistaken, 
they did not shift their ground, and 
condemn their brethren for impru- 
dence j nor when the accused had 
evinced their innocence, did they up- 
braid their accusers with hasty, rash, 
or unjust surmises. Aware that the 
measure was easily susceptible of the 
interpretation their brethren had put 
upon it, they took their reproofs, se- 
vere as they were, in good part, and 
instead of angry retorts or recrimi- 
nations, gave them the soft answer 
which turneth away wrath, and by a 
candid and honest declaration of their 
real intentions at once set themselves 
right in the opinion of their breth- 
ren. 

22. The Lord God of gods. The 
original words, mm &^ni& ia El 
Elohim Yehovah, are exceedingly 
emphatic, and cannot be easily trans- 
lated. They are the three principal 
names by which the supreme God 
was known among the Hebrews, and 
may be rendered ' The strong God, 
Elohim Jehovah' which is nearly 
the version of Luther, ■ Der starke 
Gott, der Herr,' the strong God, the 
Lord. q. d. ' that almighty and om- 
niscient Jehovah, whom we as well 
as you acknowledge and adore as 
the God of gods, infinitely superior 
to all that are called gods — to him 
w T e appeal as knowing our inno- 
cency, and that we would shudder at 
the thought of forsaking or dividing 
his worship/ By this solemn ap- 
peal they would convince their breth- 
ren that their religious faith was 
unchanged, and tfreir future conduct,. 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XXII. 



159 



it be in rebellion, or if in trans- 
gression against the Lord, (save 
us not this day,) 

23 That we have built us an 
altar to turn from following the 
Lord, or if to offer thereon 
burnt-offering, or meat-offering, 
or if to offer peace-offerings 
thereon, let the Lord himself 
> require it ; 

24 And if we have not rather 
done it for fear of this thing, 

7 Deui. 18. 19. 1 Sam 20. 16. 

they also intimate, should satisfy all 
Israel that with clean hands and an 
upright heart they had engaged in 
this undertaking. Where there is 
evidence of a deep and heart-felt rev- 
erence for God, there is the best se- 
curity for pure intentions and a 
blameless course of conduct. IT Save 
us not this day. Let God the Judge 
cause us to perish by the sword of 
our enemies or of our brethren, if 
either in principle or practice we 
have knowingly departed from him. 
It is a sudden apostrophe to God, 
prompted by strong emotion and fre- 
quently occurring in speeches of a 
very earnest and vehement charac- 
ter, and highly expressive of con- 
scious integrity. 

23. Let the Lord himself require it. 
Requite it. Let him call us to ac- 
count for it and punish us as the of- 
fence may deserve, as the word ' re- 
quire ' often signifies. See on Gen. 
9. 5. Deut. 18. 19. 1 Sam. 20. 16. 
The trans- Jordanic tribes were ac- 
cused of erecting an altar prohibited 
by the lav/, and that with the design 
of apostatising from the true religion. 
They in their answer imply that the 
law is not violated except by altars 
intended for sacrifice ; but such was 
not theirs, as they show by specify- 
ing the three principal uses of the 
divinely appointed altar, and deny- 
ing that they contemplated either of 
these uses in erecting theirs. 

24. For fear of this thing . What 
ihis thing was they immediately go 



saying, In time to come your 
children might speak unto our 
children, saying, What have ye 
to do with the Lord God of 
Israel ? 

25 For the Lord hath made 
Jordan a border between us and 
you, ye children of Reuben and 
children of Gad ; ye have no 
part in the Lord. So shall your 
children make our children cease 
from fearing the Lord. 



on to state. They were apprehen- 
sive of certain consequences result- 
ing from their local separation from 
their brethren, which are fully der 
tailed in the ensuing verses. The 
original word for ' fear' denotes a 
great perplexity and solicitude of 
mind bordering upon actual distress. 
It occurs Prov. 12. 25, where it sig- 
nifies affliction. The amount of 
their answer is, that they were actu- 
ated by motives directly the reverse 
of those attributed to them. IT In 
time to come. Heb. 'to-morrow.' 
See note on ch. 4. 6. 

25. So shall your children make 
our children cease from fearing the 
Lord. The danger to which they 
allude was not immediate, but pros- 
pective. There was little probabil- 
ity of their being disowned by their 
brethren of the present generation, 
but their children might be looked 
upon in after ages as having no in- 
terest in the God of Israel, or his in- 
stituted worship. The consequence 
would be, that, being cat off from 
public ordinances, the life and pow- 
er of religion would die out from 
among them, they would become 
reckless of their duty and allegiance 
to God, wickedness would abound, 
and they would sink to a state of 
comparative heathenism. This was 
a prospect of which they could not 
endure to think. It was a state, of 
things to be by all means averted ; 
and though it would perhaps have 
been better to have consulted Joshua, 



160 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1444. 



26 Therefore we said, Let us 
now prepare to build us an altar, 
not for burnt-offering, nor for 
sacrifice : 

27 But that it may be z a wit- 
ness between us, and you, and 
our generations after us, that we 
might a dothe service of the Lord 
before him with our burnt-offer- 
ings, and with our sacrifices, and 
with our peace-offerings ; that 
your children may not say to our 
children in time to come, Ye 
have no part in the Lord. 

23 Therefore said we, that it 
shall be, when they should so 
say to us or to our generations 
in time to come, that we may 
say again, Behold the pattern of 
the altar of the Lord, which our 
fathers made, not for burnt-offer- 

z Gen. 31. 48. ch. 21. 27. v. 34. a Deut. 12. 5. 
6, 11, 12, L7, 18, 26, 27. 



or rather to have taken counsel of the 
Lord, respecting this measure before 
they carried it into execution, yet 
this solicitude for the spiritual wel- 
fare of their posterity cannot be too 
highly praised. Nothing weighs 
more deeply on the truly pious heart, 
than the transmission to the latest 
generations of those inestimable re- 
ligious privileges, which have been 
the comfort and blessing of their fa- 
thers. If the outward institutions of 
piety are wanting in any commun- 
ity, the very existence of piety itself 
is endangered, and where that is 
the case, the judgments instead of 
the mercies of heaven will descend, 
as the inheritance of posterity. Yet, 
alas ! how much more anxious are 
thousands to entail upon their de- 
scendants ample worldly possessions, 
even at the hazard of all their better 
interests, than to perpetuate among 
them those invaluable means of 
grace which take hold on eternal 
life ! God forbid that we should 
ever be willing that our children 



ings, nor for sacrifices ; but it is 
a witness between us and you. 

29 God forbid that we should 
rebel against the Lord, and turn 
this day from following the 
Lord, b to build an altar for 
burnt-offerings for meat-offer- 
ings, or for sacrifices, besides 
the altar of the Lord our God 
that is before his tabernacle. 

30 IT And when Phinehas the 
priest, and the princes of the 
congregation, and heads of the 
thousands of Israel which were 
with him, heard the words that 
the children of Reuben, and the 
children of Gad, and the child- 
ren of Manasseh spake, it pleas- 
ed them. 

31 And Phinehas the son of 
Eleazar the priest said unto the 

b Deuu 12. 13, 14. 

should dwell in splendid mansions, 
or revel in accumulated riches, on 
which ' Ichabod' is written ! 

27. That it may be a ivitness. An 
indelible monument and assurance 
that we are as truly the Lord's people 
as yourselves, and entitled to share 
unto perpetuity in the same distin- 
guishing services and privileges. 

28. Say to us, or to our generations 
in time to come. Rather according 
to the well-known Heb. idiom, ' say 
to us, even to our generations.' It is 
evident that their fears concerned 
their offspring, and not themselves. 
IT That we may say again. That is, 
that our posterity, who shall be then 
living, may say. See on ch. 4. 23. 
IT Behold the pattern. Rather the 
copy ; the exact representation and 
resemblance. This they would have 
regarded as a sign, a memorial, that 
they both acknowledged and served 
the same God, and both made use of 
one and the same altar. 

31. This day we perceive that the 
Lord is among us. Rendered in the 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER XXII. 



161 



children of Reuben, and to the 
children of Gad and to the child- 
ren of Manasseh, This day we 
perceive that the Lord is c among 
us, because ye have not commit- 
ted this trespass against the 
Lord : now ye have delivered 
the children of Israel out of the 
hand of the Lord. 

32 IF And Phinehas son of Ele- 
azar the priest, and the princes, 
returned from the children of 
Reuben, and from the children 

cLev. 26. 11, 12. 2 Chr. 15. 2. 

Targnm of Jonathan, ' This day 
we know that the majesty of the 
Lord dwelleth among us, because ye 
have not committed this prevarica- 
tion against the Word of the Lord, 
and thus ye have delivered the child- 
ren of Israel from the hand of the 
Word of the Lord.' The sense un- 
doubtedly is, that the happy issue of 
the affair proved conclusively that 
God was among them by his prevent- 
ing goodness. Had their motives 
been less pure and conscientious 
than they were, the result would 
have been unquestionably far more 
disastrous. But as all unhappy con- 
sequences had been avoided, the in- 
ference was inevitable that God was 
that day in the midst of them, that 
he had approved the spirit and mo- 
tives in which the step originated, 
and, accordingly, would not suffer 
a well meant design to be productive 
of the injurious and mounrful effects 
which they at one time apprehended. 
The obvious lesson taught by the 
passage is, that pure and pious mo- 
tives in our conduct secure the pre- 
sence of God with us, and conse- 
quently an exemption from the evils 
and disasters that would be sure to 
follow a contrary course. ' When a 
man's ways please the Lord, even 
his enemies shall be at peace with 
him.' How delightful to recognise 
the hand of a gracious Providence 
overruling the most untoward events 



of Gad, out of the land of Gi- 
Iead, unto the land of Canaan, 
to tiie children of Israel, and 
brought them word again. 

33 And the thing pleased the 
children of Israel ; and the child- 
ren of Israel d blessed God, and 
did not intend to go up against 
them in battle to destroy the 
land wherein the children of 
Reuben and Gad dwelt. 

34 And the children of Reu- 
ben and the children of Gad 

d 1 Chr. 29. 20. Neh. S. 6. D*n. 2 19. Luke 2. 



and brightening the darkest pro- 
spects, in reference to his humble 
servants, who are aiming to walk in 
his fear ! How desirable to afford 
to others the evidence that God is 
with us, and smiling upon us by the 
happy and prosperous results of all 
our undertakings ! IT Ye have de- 
livered the children of Israel out of the 
hand of the Lord. As it is a sinful 
and perverse deportment that deliv- 
ers us into the hand of God for pun- 
ishment, so it is only repentance, 
and a corresponding humble and 
conscientious walk that will deliver 
us out of his hand. The effect of our 
example on the public welfare should 
operate at once to deter us from 
transgression, and engage us in the 
practice of every moral virtue. 

32. Brought them word again, 
Made a full and faithful report of the 
whole transaction upon their return 
to their brethren. 

33. Did not intend to go up. Heb. 
1 said not to go up,' So 2 Sam. 21. 
16, ' And Ishbi-benob — thought to 
have slain David ;' Heb. ■ said to 
have slain;' i. e. purposed, intend- 
ed. They renounced the intention 
of going up. They had at first in- 
tended it, but the statements of their 
delegates convinced them there was 
no necessity for it, and they accord- 
in sly abandoned the idea entirely. 
IT To destroy the land. To lay waste, 
to ravage, to make desolate the land. 



162 



JOSHUA. 



[A, C. 1427. 



called the altar Ed : for it shall 
be a witness between us that the 
Lord is God. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

A ND it came to pass a long 

"^*- time after that the Lord 

& had given rest unto Israel from 

all their enemies round about 

a ch. 21. 44. & Z2. 4 

34. Called the altar Ed. It is re- 
markable that the last word in this 
clause, ' Ed,' a witness, is not found in 
the original, at least in the common 
copies, though others are said to 
contain it, and it occurs in the Ara- 
bic and Syriac versions. Our trans- 
lators have properly supplied it in 
Italics, as it is the word which the 
sense evidently requires. How it 
comes to be lacking in the common 
editions of the Heb. it is impossible 
to determine. This al tat, upon which 
there was probably an inscription, 
was henceforth to be a witness of 
the relation in which they stood to 
God and to Israel, and of their con- 
currence with the rest of the tribes 
in the great fundamental truth, that 
1 the Lord he is God,' he and no other, 
and that he was to be worshipped 
in no other way, and at no other 
place, than he had himself prescrib- 
ed. It was, moreover, a witness to 
posterity of their care to transmit 
their religion pure and unimpaired 
to them, and would be a witness 
against them, if ever they should 
forsake God and turn to idolatry. 
— From the incidents above related 
we may gather, (1.) That the best 
meant things may afford cause of 
suspicion. As those are sometimes 
suspected of aiming to effect a breach 
in the unity of the church, who are 
most diligently laboring to heal her 
divisions, and to preserve to poster- 
ity the purity of her doctrines and 
worship. (*2.) It can do our breth- 
ren no injury to be jealous over them 
with a godly jealously, even when 
we may be mistaken in our fears. 
(3,) Nothing will so soon kindle the 



that Joshua b waxed old and 
stricken in age. 

2 And Joshua c called for all 
Israel, and for their elders, and 
for their heads, and for their 
judges, and for their officers, 
and said unto them I am old and 
stricken in age : 

3 And ye have seen all that 

b ch. 13. 1. c Dent. 31. 28. ch. 24. 1. 1 Jhr. 28. X. 



zeal of a faithful and devoted spirit, 
as the symptoms of apostacy from 
God in others, because to such an 
one nothing is so dear as his glory. 
(4.) Rising corruptions and danger- 
ous errors should, in the spirit of 
meekness, be resisted as soon as 
broached, lest the evil leaven, being 
permitted to spread, should leaven 
the whole mass. (5.) The testi- 
mony of a good conscience is the 
most effectual support against the 
heaviest accusations. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1. A long time after, &c. This is 
supposed to have been in the last or 
one hundred and tenth year of Josh- 
ua's life, about thirteen or fourteen 
years after the conquest of Canaan, 
and seven after the division of the 
land among the tribes. IT Old and 
stricken in years. Heb. ' old - and 
come, or gone, into days.' 

2. Called for all Israel, and for 
their elders, &c. Or, Heb. 'called 
for all Israel, even for their elders/ 
&c. clearly indicating that by ' all 
Israel,' is not meant the whole body 
of the nation assembled in their own 
persons, but their eiders, heads, 
judges, &c, convened and acting 
representatively in the name of the 
people. They couid easily commu- 
nicate the substance of the charge 
in their several districts, so that all 
Israel could hear. This appears to 
have been the usual method of con=- 
ducting the great and important af- 
fairs of the nation. See on Num. 
16. 1. Whether this assembly was 
held at Timnath-serah, where Josh- 
ua dwelt, or at Shiloh, where the 



A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



163 



the Lord your God hath done 
unto all these nations because 
of you ; for the d LoRD your God 
is he that hath fought for you. 

4 Behold, e I have divided un- 
to you by Jot these nations that 
remain, to be an inheritance for 
your tribes, from Jordan, with 
all the nations that I have cut 
off, even unto the great sea west- 
ward. 

5 And the Lord your God, 



H Ex. 14. 11. 
10. 



ch. I J. 14,42. ech. 13.2,6. & 13. 



ark was, it is not possible to deter" 
mine. From the solemn object of 
the meeting we should infer that the 
latter was the place. 

3. Ye have seen, &c. Joshua here 
speaks with characteristic modesty 
and humility. The scope of his ad- 
dress is to engage the covenant 
people, and their seed after them, to 
persevere in uphnldinglhe true faith 
and worship of the God of Israel. 
In order to this, he begins by putting 
them in mind of the divine interpo- 
sitions in their behalf. He appeals 
to w T hat their own eyes had seen, but 
so as at once to abase himself and 
exalt the Most High. He does not 
say, ' Ye have seen what I have 
done, or what you have done, but 
what God himself has done/ They 
were mere instruments in his hand. 
It was no doubt natural for the Is- 
raelites to look upon their veteran 
general, who had led them on from 
conquest to conquest, with the most 
profound respect, and to say, ' Had 
we not had such a commander, we 
had never succeeded so remarkably 
in obtaining possession of this good- 
ly land ' But Joshua will leave 
them no ground for such reflections. 
He will not divide the glory of their 
success with God. He shows them 
that their enemies had been defeated, 
not by his prowess or theirs, but sole- 
ly because the Lord their God had 
fought for them. The battle was 



f he shall expel them from before 
you, and drive them from out of 
your sight ; and ye shall possess 
their land, &as the Lord your 
God hath promised unto you. 

6 h Be ye therefore very cour- 
ageous to keep and to do all 
that is written in the book of the 
law of Moses, 8 that ye turn not 
aside there-from to the right 
hand or to the left ; 

7 That ye k come not among 

f Ex 23. 30. & 33. 2. & 34. 11 Deut. 11. 23. ch. 
13. 6. S Num. 33. 53. h ch 1. 7. i Deut. 5. 

32. ft 23. 11. k£x 23.33. Deul. 7. 2, 3. tior. 
4. 14. Eph. 5. V. 



the Lord's, and not his, and He was 
entitled to all the glory. This sen- 
timent is strikingly reiterated by the 
Psalmist, Ps. 44, 3, 'For they got 
not the land in possession by their 
own sword, neither did their own 
arm save them ; but thy right hand, 
and thine arm, and the light of thy 
countenance, because thou hadst a 
favor unto them.' The leader of 
Israel, in these words, speaks the 
language of every pious heart, in 
view of every species of worldly suc- 
cess and prosperity-. 

4. / have divided unto you by lot. 
Heb. ' I have caused it to fall unto 
you.' IT Those nations that remain. 
That remain yet unconquered; 
where ' nations' stands for the land, 
or country which they occupied ; as 
on the contrary, ' land' "often stands 
for 'nation' or 'people.' Remnants 
of the devoted Caananites still lin- 
gered about the country, though their 
armies had long since been broken 
to pieces, and they were disabled 
from making any effectual head 
against Israel. 

5. And drive them — oat — and ye 
shall possess. The same Heb. word, 
IDY 1 yarash, is here used to signify, 
to expel from an inheritance, and to 
succeed those thus expelled. Ye 
shall disinherit them from before 
you, and ye shall inherit the land in 
their stead. 

6. Be ye therefore very courageous 



164 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



these nations, these that remain 
among you ; neither Unake men- 
tion of the name of their gods, 
nor cause to swear by them, 
neither serve them, nor bow 
yourselves unto them : 

1 Kx. 23. 13.^ Ps. IS. 4. Jer.5. 7. Zeph. 1. 5. 
See Num. 32 38. 



to keep and to do. See observations 
on ch. 1. 7—9. 

7. That ye come not among these 
nations. That ye have no familiar in- 
tercourse, nor form intimate connect- 
ions with them ; which could not be 
done without contracting some 
measure of the defilement which 
their idolatries and iniquities had 
brought upon them. ' Evil commu- 
nications corrupt good manners.' 
The prohibition, as appears from v. 
12, is pointed especially at intermar- 
riages with their heathen neighbors. 
IT Neither make mention of the name 
of their gods. Or, Heb. ' cause to be 
remembered.' Instead of showing 
the least respect to their idols, they 
were to endeavor, on the contrary, to 
bury the remembrance of them in 
perpetual oblivion ; let their very 
names be forgotten. So David says 
of false gods, Ps. 16. 4, 'Their 
names will I not take up into my 
lips.' On the same principle, God 
says, Hos. 2. 16, 17, ' At that day 
thou shalt call me Ishi ; and shall 
call me no more Baali. For I will 
take away the names of Baalim 
out of her mouth, and they shall no 
more be remembered by their name.' 
Though Baali and Ishi signify the 
same thing, yet as the former was 
the appropriated name of idols, he 
would have it no longer employed, 
even in reference to himself. The 
habitual mention of the names .of 
idols would go gradually to diminish 
the abhorrence in which they were 
bound to hold them, and eventually 
to introduce the custom of swearing 
by them in common discourse. This 
would infallibly tend to the general 
prevalence, if not to the formal es- 
tablishment, of idolatrous practices 



8 But m cleave unto the Lord 
your God, as ye have done unto 
this day. 

9 n For the Lord hath driven 
out from before you great na- 

: but as for 



lions and strong 



m De 



if n 20. 

11. -3. 



& 11 22 & 13. 4. 



among them. In like manner it may 
be seriously questioned, w T hether the 
paintings, statues, and poems, which 
abound in Christian countries, re- 
plete w r ith allusions to rhe detestable 
heathen mythology, have not a most 
pernicious effect in lessening a just 
abhorrence of the Greek and Roman 
idolatry, and thus subserving the 
cause of scepticism, infidelity, and 
vice. IT Nor cause to swear by them. 
To swear by any god was virtually 
to acknowledge him as a Witness 
and avenger in the case of the viola- 
tion of contracts, and so in effect a 
suitable object of religious worship. 
It is implied that they were not to 
make any covenants with idolaters, 
because in confirming their coven- 
ants they would swear by their 
idols. ' Let no Israelite be a party 
to any transaction w r hich should in- 
volve such a consequence. Neither 
swear by them yourselves, nor cause 
others by your procurement to do it.' 
By neglecting these slighter occa- 
sions of idolatry they might be im- 
perceptibly betrayed into it, and led 
along by degrees, till they had final- 
ly reached its highest step, which 
w r as serving false gods, and bowing 
down to them, in direct transgres- 
sion of the letter of the second com- 
mandment. 

8. Cleave unto the Lord your God, 
&c. Delight in him, depend upon 
him, devote yourselves to his glory, 
and continue to do so unto the end, 
as you have done unto this day ; 
ever since arriving in Canaan. For 
since that time, though there might 
have been many things more or less 
amiss among them, yet the nation at 
large had behaved much better than 
they did in the wilderness, and had 



A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



165 



you, °no man hath been able to 
stand before you unto this day. 

10 pOne man of you shall 
chase a thousand : for the Lord 
your God, he it is that fighteth 
for you, <Jas he hath promised 
you. 

11 r Take good heed there- 
fore unto yourselves, that ye 
love the Lord your God. 

12 Else if ye do in any wise 
'go back, and cleave unto the 

o ch. 1. 5. p r,ev. 26. 8. Deut. 32. 30 See Jndsj. 
3. cl. >\ 15. 1.5. 2 Sam. 23. 8. q Kx. If. 14. .t v3 

■* L>eu *- 3 - **■ rcli. 22. 5 s ileb. U. 38 3J. 

2 1'ct. 2. 20, A. 



not been guilty of any open or gross 
apostacy irom God, but had followed 
him with exemplary fidelity. 

9. For the Lord hath driven out. 
Or, as the original will admit of be- 
ing rendered, 'and the Lord will 
drive out,' &c, and so the whole 
verse may be rendered in the future 
instead of the past, in which case it 
will connect more easily and natu- 
rally with the verse ensuing, tf No 
man hath been able to stand before 
you. That is, when it actually came 
to an issue. Some of the ancient in- 
habitants did indeed yet remain un- 
conquered, but in every engagement 
the Israelites came off victorious. 
In this sense no man had been able 
to stand before them. Wherever an 
enemy had been encountered he had 
been overcome. 

11. Take a ood heed therefore unto 
yourselves. Intimating the condition 
on which the foregoing promise 
should be made good to them. Let 
not the assurance of the divine fa- 
vor, presence, and protection tend to 
relax your diligence, or weaken the 
sense of obligation to love and serve 
him ; on the contrary, let ic operate 
as an additional motive to the most 
intense affection and rtevotedness 
towards your heavenly benefactor. 
As the temptations arising from the 
presence of your corrupt neighbors, 
and your own peace and prosperity, 
are greater than taey were in the 
15 



remnant of these nations, even 
these that remain among you, 
and shall 'make marriages with 
them, and go in unto them, and 
they to you : 

13 Know for a certainty that 
u the Lord your God will no 
more drive out any of these na- 
tions from before you : x but they 
ijhall be snares and traps unto 
y^, and scourges in your sides, 
and thorns in your eyes until ye 

t n. „!, 7. 3. ■ Ju<!e- 2. 3. x Ex. 23 33. Num. 
33. 55. Deut. 7. 1G. 1 Kiu. 11. 4. 



wilderness, it will require greater 
watchfulness and diligence to keep 
yourselves continually approved in 
the sight of heaven. 

13. Know for a certainty. Hebu 
'knowing thou shalt know.' IT 
They shall be snares and traps unto 
you. You will be caught by their 
wiles; their itaits and allurements 
will seduce you into crime, into a 
participation of their vile impieties j 
and as a consequence of this, taking 
advantage of your weakness, they 
will vex and harrass, torment and 
oppress you, and as willing though 
unconscious instruments in the 
hand of a chastising providence, will 
be £S continual goads, spurs, or 
scourges in your sides, or as annoy- 
ing thorns in your eyes. They will 
kill or drive away your cattle, burn 
or steal your harvests, lay waste your 
vineyards, alarm or plunder your 
houses, and in a thousand ways be a 
perpetual source of trouble. Nay, 
so completely shall they at length ob- 
tain the ascendancy, that your re- 
spective conditions shall be reversed ; 
instead of exterminating them from 
the bounds of Canaan, you shall 
yourselves fall before them, or be ut- 
terly driven from your inheritance, 
from the ' good land ' which the Lord 
himself hath given. What could 
tend more powerfully to arm their 
spirits against the forbidden allian- 
ces than the prospect of such calam- 



166 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



perish from off this good land 
which the Lord your God hath 
given you. 

14 And behold, this day ?I am 
going the way of all the earth ; 
and ye know in all your hearts 
and in all your souls, that z not 
one thing hath failed of all the 
good things which the Lord 
your God spake concerning 
you ; all are come to pass unto 
you, and not one thing hath 
failed thereof. 

15 a Therefore it shall come 
to pass, that as all good things 
are come upon you, which the 

y I Kin. 2. 2. See «eh. 9. 27. i ch. 21. 45. Lu':e 
2l. S3 a Deut. 28. «3. 



ities as these 1 IT Scourges in your 
sides and Ihornz in your eyes. 
1 What !' says a wife to her angry 
husband, ' am I a thorn in your 



eyes 



[ Alas ! alas \ he has seen 



another ; I am now a thorn in his 
eyes.' ' Were I not a thorn in his 
eyes, his anger would not burn so 
long.' 'My old friend Tamban 
never looks at my house now, be- 
cause it gives him thorns to his eyes.' 
Roberts. 

14. Going the way of all the earth. 
About to die, to go into the grave. 
To die is in a sense to go a journey, 
a journey to our long home ; it is the 
way of all the earth, the way thai 
all mankind must go sooner or latei. 
Joshua felt himself near his end, and 
he would have his people look upon 
him and listen to him as a dying man. 
that so his words might sink the 
deeper into their hearts. He would 
spend his last breath in taking them 
to witness that God had been punc- 
tiliously faithful to every promise, 
and in solemnly assuring them that 
every threatening, however fearful, 
would receive an equally certain 
and exact accomplishment. IT Ye 
know — that not one thing hath failed, 
&c. The same appeal which is 
here made by Joshua to Israel after 



Lord your God promised you ; 
so shall the Lord bring upon 
you b all evil things, until he 
have destroyed you from off this 
good land which the Loud your 
God hath given you. 

16 When ye have transgress- 
ed the covenant of the Lord 
your God, which he commanded 
you, and have gone and served 
other gods; and bowed your- 
selves to them ; then shall the 
anger of the Lord be kindled 
against you, and ye shall perish 
quickly from off the good land 
which he hath given unto you. 

b Lev. 26. 16. Deut. £8. 15, 16, &c 



sixty years' experience, may be made 
to every believer that ever lived. 
We may bring forth every promise 
from the Bible, and then search the 
annals of the world, and inquire of 
every creature in it, and one single 
instance will be sought in vain of 
God's violating or forgetting a prom- 
ise. The accomplishment may have 
been delayed or brought to pass in a 
way that was not expected, but the 
whole world may be challenged to 
impeach his veracity, or contradict 
the assertion that ' all which he hath 
promised is come to pass; not one 
thing hath failed thereof.' But let it 
not be forgotten that the veracity of 
God is as much pledged for the ex- 
ecution of his threatenings, as for the 
performance of his promises. The 
one is a proof of the other. Yet 
among the world of the impenitent 
whexe is there a mind divested of the 
floatiLg impression, that mercy will 
in some way interpose to stay the 
outgoings of wrath 1 How many, 
alas! are now experiencing in hell 
what they would not believe on 
earth ! The subsequent history of the 
chosen people abundantly shows that 
both the apostacy here deprecated 
and the threatenings here denounced 
did actually tai:e place. Let then 



A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



167 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

A ND Joshua gatherd all the 

-**• tribes of Israel to a Shechem ? 

and b called for the elders of Is- 



every Christian fear as he reads, £ If 
God spared not the natural branches, 
take heed lest he spare not thee.' 
The worldly, carnal, sensual Chris- 
tian has no more right to expect in- 
dulgence from the justice of God than 
the disobedient Jew. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
1. Gathered all the tribes. That is, 
the heads, elders, and chief men of 
the tribes, though not them exclu- 
sively. See on ch. 23. 2. Joshua 
probably found his life prolonged be- 
yond his expectation, and, like Pe- 
ter in his old age, thinking it meet 
1 as long as he was in this tabernacle ' 
to do his utmost towards 'putting' 
and keeping his people ' in remem- 
brance ' of the great things of their 
duty, embraces one more opportu- 
nity of convening the tribes by their 
representatives, and giving them a 
solemn parting charge. The pious 
servants of God may be disabled 
through age and infirmities from 
continuing their personal exertions, 
but they will never relax their zeal 
in the service of their divine Master ; 
and what they want in effective la- 
bors, they will endeavor to supply by 
stimulating and confirming the zeal 
of others. As Moses, at an advanc- 
ed age, renewed the covenant in 
the plains of Moab which had been 
first entered into at Horeb forty years 
before, so Joshua on this occasion 
imitates his example, and makes it 
his last labor to engage the tribes of 
Israel once more to give themselves 
up to God in a perpetual covenant. 
Thus the good effects of his influ- 
ence would remain when he him- 
self was taken from them. ' We 
must never think our work for God 
done till our life is done ; and if he 
lengthen out our days beyond what 
we thought, we must conclude it is 
because he has some further service 



raeJ, and for their heads and for 
their judges, and for their offi- 
cers ; and they presented them- 
selves before God. 



c I Sam. 10. 19. 



for us to do.' Henry. IT To She- 
chem. As it is immediately added 
that, ' they presented themselves be- 
fore God,' the natural inference 
would be that this transaction took 
place in the presence of the ark and 
the tabernacle, the usual neeting- 
place of God and his people, which 
were now, as far as we know, at 
Shiloh instead of Shechem. This 
has occasioned some difficulty to 
commentators, especially as the 
Greek of the Sept. has E^Xw, SkiU 
both here and v. 25, though the Al- 
dine and Comphetensian editions 
have £ux^> Sychem in both places, 
which leads us to suppose that the 
former reading is a designed alter- 
ation made with a view to obviate 
an apprehended discrepancy in the 
original. At any rate, there is no 
sufficient ground for questioning the 
genuineness of the present Hebrew 
text. The two following solutions, 
therefore, may be proposed ; either, 
(1) By Shechem here is meant not 
the city so called, but the territory 
adjacent, extending to the distance 
of several miles, within the limits 
of which it is conjectured that Shiloh 
stood. But this is less likely, as 
Shiloh was at least ten miles distant 
from Shechem, and if the meeting 
had been at Shiloh we can see no 
reason why it should not have been 
expressly so stated. Or, (2) that 
Shechem was really the place of the 
convocation, but that the tabernacle 
was for the present occasion trans- 
ferred thither, as we learn Judg. 20. 
1, 18. 1 Sam 4. 3. 2 Sam. 15. 24, that 
it was sometimes on extraordinary 
emergencies temporarily removed. 
There were several reasons why 
Shechem should be considered the 
most suitable place for the assem- 
bling of the tribes on this occasion. 
It was a Levitical city, and nearer 
than Shiloh to Timnath-serah, Josh* 



168 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



2 And Joshua said unto all 
the people, Thus saith the Lord 
God of Israel, d Your fathers 
dwelt on the other side of the 



d Gen. 11. 26.31. 



ua's residence, whose age and infir- 
mities might at this time have inca- 
pacitated him from travelling even 
a short distance from home. It was 
the place where the covenant was 
first made with Abraham ages be- 
fore, Gen. 12. 6, 7, and so would be 
a peculiarly appropriate place for 
renewing that covenant, which was 
one end to be answered by their now 
coming together. It adds to the 
force of this reason, that it was in 
this immediate vicinity, between the 
two mounts Gerizzim and Ebal, that 
Joshua had before, on their first en- 
trance into Canaan, convened the 
nation for a similar object, ch. 8. 30 
— 35. So that all the associations 
connected with the place would tend 
eminently to heighten the solemnity 
and impressiveness of the transac- 
tion, in which they were about to 
engage. If, moreover, as from v. 32 
many suppose, it was on this occa- 
sion that the bones of Joseph, and 
perhaps of the other patriarchs, Acts 
7. 15, 16, were deposited in the piece 
of ground which his father gave him 
near Shechem, it would constitute 
another strong reason for selecting 
this, in preference to Shilo, as the 
place of the present meeting. That 
such was the fact, however, what- 
ever might have been the reasons, 
and whatever the imagined difficul- 
ties involved in the supposition , there 
can be no doubt as long as we ad-, 
here to the letter of the sacred re- 
cord. IT Presented themselves be^ 
fore God. As intimated above, the 
presumption is that this presentation 
of themselves was before the ark of 
the covenant and the tabernacle, the 
visible residence of God among his 
people, and now removed to She- 
chem to give additional solemnity to 
the proceedings of the assembly. 
This impression is confirmed by v, 
62, where it is saiclthat, - a great stone 



flood in old time, even Terah, 
the father of Abraham, and the 
father of Nachor : and Hhey 
served other gods, 



was set up there under an oak that 
was by the sanctuary of the Lord ; J 
i. e. by the place where the sanctu- 
ary temporarily stood during the 
time of that convention. Yet the 
words do not necessarily demand 
this construction. The phrase ' be- 
fore God 5 or 'before the Lord,' is 
sometimes equivalent to religiously, 
devoutly, as if under the inspection 
of the divine eye. Thus Isaac Gen. 
27. 7, is said to have blessed Jacob, 
'before the Lord/ i. e. as in his pre- 
sence, in his name, in a very solemn 
and devout manner. SoJephthahis 
said, Judg. 11. 11, to have uttered all 
his words 'before the Lord;' in the 
same sense. See on ch. 4. 13. 

2. Joshua said unto all the people. 
All the people now assembled, con- 
sisting mainly of the elders, chiefs, 
&c, v. 1, but in addition to them of 
such portions of the body of the peo- 
ple as found it convenient to attend. 
IT On the other side of the flood. That 
is, on the other side of the river, the 
river Euphrates; so called by way 
of eminence. ' Flood y is an unfor- 
tunate rendering, as the original 
word is the common word for * river,* 
and repeatedly and for the most part 
so translated in our established ver- 
sion, f In old time. Heb. ' from 
everlasting;' i. e. from an indefinite 
period of remote antiquity ; as the 
same term often signifies an indefi- 
nite period of time future. tf 
Served other gods. From this it 
seems clear that Abraham^ grand- 
father and father, and perhaps him^ 
self in the first instance, worshipped 
the idols of the country in which 
they lived. By this, however, we 
are probably not to understand that 
they had no knowledge of, or rever- 
ence for, the true God, but that they 
did not render to him that exclusive 
worship which was his due. In fact, 
we may conclude them to have been 



A. C. 1427.] 

3 And f I took your father 
Abraham from the other side of 
the flood, and led him throughout 
all the land of Canaan, and mul- 
tiplied his seed, and sgave him 
Isaac. 

4 And I gave unto Isaac h Ja- 
cob and Esau : and I gave unto 

f Gen. 12. 1. Acts 7. 2, 3. g Gen. 21. 2, 3. P?. 
127. 3. I) Gen. 25. 24, '25, 26. 

in much the same condition as La- 
ban, who at a subsequent period rep- 
resented that part of the family 
which remained beyond the Euphra- 
tes, and who certainly reverenced Je- 
hovah, but who also had idols which 
he called his gods, and the loss of 
which filled him with vexation and 
anger. The partial idolatry of their 
ancestors, however, was humiliating 
to Israel. Even Abraham, the father 
of thei r nation, in whom they gloried, 
and who was subsequently so highly 
honored of God, was born and bred 
up in the worship of false gods. 
This fact would cut off all vain- 
boasting in the worthiest of their an- 
cestors, as far as native character or 
early conduct was concerned. The 
father of the faithful himself became 
what he was purely by the grace of 
God, and not in virtue of his own 
innate tendencies to good. Indeed 
his justification is expressly sec forth 
by the apostle, Rom. 4. 5, as an in- 
stance of God's 'justifying the un- 
godly.' 

3. And I tool' your father Abraham, 
&c. I exercised such an influence 
upon him as induced him to leave 
that land of idolators; I prompted 
him to go. Though no violence 
was employed, it implies that he 
would never have gone thence un- 
less God had ' taken ' him, unless by 
a divine impulse he had moved him 
to go. See on Gen. 2. 15, relative to 
God's 'taking' Adam and putting 
him into the garden of Eden. So 
it is the special grace of God that 
1 takes ' a sinner out of a state of im- 
penitence and unbelief, and puts him 
in the way to eternal life, the road 
15* 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



169 



j Esau mount Seir, to possess it : 
k but Jacob and his children went 
down into Egypt. 

5 il sent Moses also and 
Aaron and m I plagued Egypt, 
according to that which 1 did 
among them : and afterward I 
brought you out. 

i Gen 3G. 8. Deui. 2. 5. k Gen. 46. 1. 6 Acts 
7. 15. 1 Ex. 3. 10. ra Ex. 7 & 8 & 9. & 10. & 12. 

to the heavenly Canaan, that better 
country where lies the inheritance 
of the saints. IT Led him through" 
out all the land of Canaan. Gave 
him my gracious guidance and pro- 
tection during all his wanderings 
to and fro in that land of promise. 
IT Multiplied his seed, and gave him 
Isaac. That is, multiplied his seed 
by giving him Isaac. As this ' mul- 
tiplication,' however, could not be 
said to be accomplished merely by 
the birth of a single son, it is to be 
understood, noc of Isaac alone, but 
of the long and spreading line of his 
posterity, among whom he enume- 
rates Jacob and Esau, including 
their issue, in the next verse. 

4. I gar* unto Esau mount Seir. 
See on Gen. 36. 7, 8. In order that 
the land of Canaan, by the removal 
of Esau, might be reserved entire to 
Jacob and his posterity. If But 
Jacob and his children went down 
into Egypt. Where they suffered 
a long and grievous bondage, the 
particulars of which the speaker 
does not deem it necessary to recite. 

5. According to that which I did 
among them. Heb. ' which I did in 
the midst of him.' A peculiar 
phraseology, and not capable perhaps 
of being fully reached in any other 
language. It implies the essential 
reality of any thing compared with 
the outward manifestation, sign, or 
expression of it. Thus it is said of 
the butler and baker in prison, Gen. 
40. 5, that they each dreamed a 
dream, 'according to the interpreta- 
tion of his dream,' i. e. one of which 
the event answered to the dream it- 
self ; a dream capable of a sound in- 



170 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



6 And I "brought your fathers 
out of Egypt: and °ye came 
unto the sea ; Pand the Egyp- 
tians pursued after your fathers 
with chariots and horsemen un- 
to the Red sea. 

7 And when they ^cried unto 
the Lord, r he put darkness be- 
tween you and the Egyptians, 
*and brought the sea upon them, 
and covered them ; and tyour, 
eyes have seen, what I have done 
in Egypt : and ye dwelt in the 
wilderness u a long season. 

8 And I brought you into the 
land of the Amorites, which 

n Ex. 12. 37, 51. o Ex. 14. 2- p Ex. 14 9. a Ex 
14. 1 J. r Ex. 14. 20. s Ex. 14. 27, 28. t Deui. 
4. 34. & 29. 2. u ch. 5. 6. 



terpretation, which Joseph gave, and 
which the actual fulfilment confirm- 
ed. So here the plagues of Egypt 
corresponded in fact, in reality, with 
all that had been predicted of them 
beforehand, with all that was record- 
ed of them afterwards, and with all 
that struck the senses at the time of 
their actual occurrence. Theresas 
no illusion about them in any manner 
or degree. It was all reality. IF 
Afterward I brought yon out. Spo- 
ken of the present generation, though 
strictly true only of their fathers. 
Of the ususloquendi here involved, 
see note on ch. 4. 23. So also in the 
ensuing verses, where the reader will 
notice that the words your fathers 
and ye, them and you, are remarka- 
bly interchanged. 

6. Came unto the sea. The Red 
Sea, as is afterwards expressed. 

7. Brought the sea upon them — cov- 
ered them. Heb. ' brought the sea 
upon him — covered him.' Spoken 
of, according to usual analogy, as 
one man. IT Dwelt in the wilder- 
ness a long season. A mild term for 
their being condemned to wander 
for forty years in the wilderness as 
a punishment for their sins. 



dwelt on the other side Jordan ; 
x and they fought with you : and 
I gave them into your hand, 
that ye might possess their land ; 
and I destroyed them from be- 
fore you. 

9 Then ^Balak the son of 
Zippor, king of Moab, arose and 
warred against Israel, and z sent 
and called Balaam the son of 
Beor to curse you : 

10 a But I would not hearken 
unto Balaam; therefore he bless, 
ed you still : so I delivered you 
out of his hand. 

11 And c ye went over Jor- 

x Num. 21. 21, ?3 Den'. 2. 32. ft 3-1. y See 

Jud& 11. 23. z Num. 22. 5. Dent. 23. 4. a Deut. 
2:3 5. i- Nnm 2'. 11, 20 & 24. 10. c ch. ?. 14, 17. 
&4. 10, il 12 

9. Then BalaJc — arose and tear red 
against Israel. From the previous 
history, Num. 23 and 24,. and also 
from Judg. 11. 25, it would appear 
that Balak did not at any time actu- 
ally engage in conflict with Israel. 
He is said, therefore, in this place to 
have e warred ' against them because 
he intended it, because he cherished 
a hostile purpose, and concerted his 
schemes and made his preparations 
accordingly. The Scripture idiom 
often speaks of men as doing what 
they fully design and endeavor to 
do, and it is a very slight stretch of 
language to denominate him a War- 
ring enemy who has all the will and 
lacks onlv the opportunity to become 
so. See Gen. 37. 21. Ezek. 24. 13. 
Mat. 5. 28. John, 10. 32, 33. A sim- 
ilar phraseology occurs in v. 11 in 
reference to the men of Jericho, 
which is perhaps to be explained on 
the same principle. 

10. Iwcmldnot hearken unto Ba- 
laam. Would not comply with his 
secret wish and purpose, nor allow 
him to curse to you ; would not fall 
in with or favor the ruling desire of 
his heart. IT Delivered you out of 
his hand. Out of the hand of Ba- 



A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



171 



dan, and came unto Jericho : and 
d the men of Jericho fought 
against you, the Amorites, and 
the Perizzites, and the Canaan- 
ites, and the Hittites, and the 
Girgashites, the Hivites, and the 
Jehusites, and I delivered them 
into your hand. 

12 And e I sent the hornet be- 
fore you, which drave them out 
from before you, even the two 



d ch. 6. 1. &10. 

7.20. 



. ft 11. 1. e Ex. 23. 23. Deut 



lak. and all the wicked machina- 
tions which he had set on foot 
against you. 

11. The men of Jericho fought 
against you. Heb. ' the masters or 
lords of Jericho.' This is under- 
stood by many expositors of the ru- 
lers or magistrates of Jericho, but as 
the ensuing words, ' the Amorites, 
the Perizzites, &c.,' seem to stand 
in immediate apposition with ' men ' 
or masters, we take it that theij are 
meant by the term, and are called 
'masFers' of Jericho from the fact 
that that city belonged to an exten- 
sive confederacy composed of the 
various neighboring nations here 
specified, of whom it is obviously 
true that they ' fought' against Is- 
rael, and were signally delivered 
into their hand. If, however, the 
phrase be understood of the citizens 
or chief men of the city of Jericho, 
though they did not actually meet 
Israel in the field, yet they may be 
said to have fought againsi them in- 
asmuch as they stood upon the defen- 
sive and opposed them by shutting 
their gates, and probably in making 
what resistance they could after an 
entrance had been gained into the 
city. See on v. 9. 

12. I sent the hornet before you. 
Understood by some literally of the 
insect so called, by others figurative- 
ly of the anxieties, perplexities, and 
pungent terrors which invaded the 
minds of the Canaanites on the re- 
ported approach of the hosts of Is- 



kings of the Amorites : hut f not 
with thy sword, nor with thy 
bow : 

13 And I have given you a 
land for which ye did not labour, 
and ^cities which ye built not 
and ye dwell in them ; of the 
vineyards and olive-yards which 
ye planted not do ye eat. 

34 IT h Now therefore fear the 
Lord, and serve him in Jsincer- 

f Ts. 44. 3, 6. g Deut. 6. 10, 11. ch. 11. 13. h Deut- 
10. VI. 1 Sam. 12. 24. i Ge:.. 17. 1. & 20 5. Deut- 
IS. 13. Fs. 119. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Eph. 6. 24. 

rael. For further remarks on the 
subject, see on Ex. 23. 28 and ' Illus- 
trations of the Scriptures,' p. 66. 
The writer of the apocryphal book 
entitled ' The Wisdom of Solomon' 
seems to have taken the words as lit- 
erally true, ch. 12. 8 — 10, 'Never- 
theless thou didst send wasps, fore- 
runners of thine host, to destroy them 
by little and little. Not that thou 
wast unable to bring the ungodly 
under the hand of the righteous in 
battle, or to destroy them at once 
with cruel beasts, or with one rough 
word : But executing thy judgments 
by little and little thou gavest them 
place of repentance, not being igno- 
rant that they were a naughty gene- 
ration, and that their malice was 
bred in them, and that their cogita- 
tion would never be changed.* H 
Sot with thy sword, nor with thy bote. 
Not that these implements were not 
made use of in their wars, but that 
they would have used them in vain 
unless God, by his secret or open 
judgments, had previously smitten 
and paralysed the power of the en- 
emy. See the passage before quoted 
from Ps. 44. 3. 

13. For which ye did not labor, 
Heb. 'thou didst not labor.' The 
whole body of the nation addressed 
collectively as one person. IT Of 
the vineyards and olive-yards — do you 
eat. That is, of their fruits > a 
usage of speech of not uncommon 
occurrence. Thus Gen. 3. 11, 
'Hast thou eaten of the tree, where- 



172 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



ity and in truth ; and k put away i flood, and »in Egypt ; and serve 

the gods which your fathers ye the Lord, 

served on the other side of the 15 And if it seem evil unto 



k ver. 2. 23. Lev. 17. 7 Erelc 20. 18. 



of, &c,' i. e. of the fruit of the tree 
So also Rev. 2. 7. ' I will give to him 
to eat of the tree of life.' 

14. Noiv therefore fear the Lord, 
&c. The address of Joshua to Israel 
thus far has been occupied with a 
recital of the leading events of their 
national history, events going to 
show, in the most striking manner, 
the interposition of the divine hand 
in their behalf. He would thus lay 
a foundation for that deep sense of 
obligation and obedience, which he 
aims in the remainder of his dis- 
course to impress upon their minds. 
From this point therefore, he be- 
gins a practical application of the 
various facts he had before enumer- 
ated, turning the whole into a power- 
ful appeal to the consciences and the 
hearts- of his hearers. II Serve him 
in sincerity and in truth. In upright- 
ness, in integrity; not in pretence 
and outward semblance only, but in 
reality and in truth. Do not serve 
or worship other gods in private, 
while in public, in the eyes of men, 
you maintain the form of the worship 
of the true God. IT Put away the gods 
which your fathers served, &c. From 
the general character of this genera- 
tion, as evinced by their conduct, 
and from the commendation bestow- 
ed upon them by Joshua, ch. 23. 8, 
it is difficult to conceive that the 
positive practice of idolatry was now 
fairly chargeable upon them. If the 
secret sin of Achan, in stealing cer- 
tain forbidden articles at the siege 
of Jericho, brought such fearful 
tokens of wrath upon the congrega- 
tion, have we not reason to sup- 
pose that the act of paying divine 
honors to idols, however hidden 
from human observation, would 
have incurred, at least, an equal 
measure of divine indignation. 
And if such a sin were actually pre- 
valent among them, how is it to be 
accounted for that Joshua had not 
warned them against it before 'I B ut 



1 Ezek. 20. 7, 8. & 23. 3. 



perhaps the words of Joshua, in just 
construction, do not necessarily force 
upon us such a sense. The phrase, 
1 Put away the gods, &c.,' may mean 
simply keep away, renounce, repudi- 
ate, have nothing to do with, being 
equivalent to a charge to preserve 
themselves pure from a contagion to 
which they were peculiarly liable. 
We prefer, therefore, to understand 
the expression of a vigorous and de- 
termined purpose of mind to which the 
speaker exhorts the chosen people, 
while at the same time we cannot 
deny that there may have been in 
solitary instances some lingering re- 
lics of actual idolatry, which Joshua 
would effectually extinguish by this 
solemn mandate. But that the of- 
fence was now prevalent to any con- 
siderable extent among the people, 
we have no idea. Not but that there 
was sufficient corruption in their 
natures, for such a propensity to 
live and act upon, but the tenor of 
the narrative does not, we conceive, 
justify the supposition in respect to 
them at this time. We are warrant- 
ed, however, in drawing from Josh- 
ua's words the practical inference, 
that God requires the heart in his 
worship, without which their is no 
acceptable service ; and that that is 
still an idol, to which our affections 
cleave more than they do to God 
himself. IT In Egypt. This fact is 
nowhere else expressly asserted re- 
specting the Israelites in Egypt, al- 
though Ezek. 23. 3, 8, and Acts 7. 
42, 43, go strongly in confirmation 
of Joshua's words. Considering the 
idolatrous tendencies of human na- 
ture, it is not surprising that they 
should have suffered themselves to 
become infected with an evil so 
every where rife around them, and 
it was, perhaps, in part owing to this 
that their sufferings were so aggra- 
vated and embittered in that ' house 
of bondage.' 
15. If it seem evil in your eyes. 



A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



173 



you to serve the Lord, m choose 
you this day whom ye will serve, 



m See Rath 
John 6. G7. 



15. 1 Kin. 13.21. Ezek.2». 39. 



Unjust, unreasonable, or attended 
with too many inconveniences. TT 
Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. 
Not implying that it was previously 
a matter of indifference, whether 
they served God or no, or that they 
wefe really at liberty to refuse his 
service if they saw fit ; but he adopts 
this rhetorical mode of speech, in 
order to impress upon them more 
forcibly a sense of their duty, and 
the utter absurdity, as well as im- 
piety, of devoting themselves to any 
other than the true God. It is a 
striking way of bringing the matter 
to an issue. His aim is to bring 
them to a decided stand ; to a free, 
intelligent, firm, and lasting choice 
of God as their portion. In effecting 
this he makes use of a style of ad- 
dress which evidently implies that 
the service of idols compared with 
the service of God is so irration- 
al, absurd, and brutish, that no man 
in the calm exercise of his under- 
standing could hesitate which to 
choose. If reason and conscience 
could but be allowed to speak, they 
would not fail to speak on the side 
of God. A similar course, having 
the same object in view, was pur- 
sued by Elijah, 1 Kings 18. 21, who 
1 came unto all the people, and said. 
How long halt ve between two opin* 
ions? If the Lord be God, follow 
him; but if Baal, then follow him.' 
The grand inference to be drawn 
from this mode of address is,— That 
the service of God is matter of vol- 
untary choice, and that it is his will 
that we should all seriouslv and sol- 
emnly make this choice. He would 
have us weigh the matter well, com- 
pare the respective claims of his 
service, and the service of sin and 
the world, and if our candid judg- 
ment, as it surely will, pronounces 
on the side of that which is good, 
and true, and right, and saving, to 
resolve at once to embrace it, and 
adhere to it with a constancy strong- 



whether n the gods which your 
fathers served that were on the 



er than death. As the evidences in 
favor of religion are so clear and in- 
disputable, and ns infinite advan- 
tages so obvious, the man who de- 
clines making the choice here en- 
joined must be considered as deliber- 
ately preferring Satan to Christ, 
death to life, hell to heaven. He 
who acknowledges the paramount 
claims of God and his Gospel, and 
yet does not act accordingly, does 
not sincerely and solemnly choose his 
service, as that better part which 
cannot be taken from him, must 
stand self-condemned both here and 
hereafter. As for me and my house % 
ice will serve the Lord. Ye may act 
your pleasure in this matter, but 
whatever may be your election, J 
am decided as to my own course. 
As far as myself and my household 
are concerned, the question whom 
we shall serve is settled. Whatever 
halting or wavering there may be 
in other cases, there is none in mine. 
This declaration of their venerated 
leader, while devoid of the least air 
of dictation, and apparently leaving 
them the most unrestrained liberty 
of choice, was in fact the most pow- 
erful argument he could have used 
to influence their minds in the di- 
rection he wished. For the force of 
example is in proportion to the depth 
of respect and estimation in which 
an individual is held, and he could 
not fail to perceive that the rever- 
ence with which he was regarded 
would give to his example a weight 
and authority almost amounting to 
absolute law. Gratitude for his 
services, confidence in his wisdom, 
and love for his person would all 
combine to make his conduct a pat- 
tern for theirs ; and how blessed is 
it when those who possess these im- 
mense advantages'for exerting a salu- 
tary influence on others are dispos- 
ed, like Joshua, to make it available 
to the salvation of their fellow-men ! 
This noble resolution of the captain 



174 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



other side of the flood, or ° the 
gods of the Amorites in whose 
land ye dwell ; Pbut as for me 
and my house we will serve 
the Lord. 

16 And the people answered 
and said, God forbid that we 
should forsake the Lord, to 
serve other gods. 

17 For the Lord our God, he 
it is that brought us up, and our 
fathers, out of the land of Egypt, 
from the house of bondage, and 
which did those great signs in 

o Ex. 23. 24, 32, 33. & 3f. 15. Dent. 13. 7. & 29. IS. 
Judg. 6. IU. p Gen. 19. 19. 

of Israel obviously suggests the fol- 
lowing reflections; (1.) The service 
of God is nothing below the most 
distinguished of men. It is no di- 
minution of their greatness, no dis- 
paragement to their rank, reputa- 
tion, or honor to be decidedly pious, 
and to be openly and avowedly so. 
On the contrary, it heightens every 
other distinction, and makes all hon- 
or still more honorable. (2.) In re- 
gard to the great interests of religion 
and the soul, we are to be concerned 
for others, particularly our house- 
holds, as well as for ourselves. It 
should be our earnest aim to unite 
our families, our wives, children, 
and servants, those that come under 
our special care and influence, with 
us in every pious resolution and la- 
bor. Heads of households should 
feel not only anxiety, but deep respon- 
sibility, in respect to those thus en- 
trusted to their charge. (3.) Those 
that lead and rule in other things 
should be first in the service of God, 
and go before in every good work. 
(4.) We should resolve to do right 
and to do good, whatever others may- 
do. Though others may desert the 
cause of God, we should stand by it 
at all hazards, whatever charge of 
singularity or expression of popular 
odium it may bring upon us. ' Those 
that are bound for heaven must be 
willing to. swim against the stream, 



our sLh% and preseived us in 
all the way wherein we went, 
and among all the people 
through whom we passed : 

18 And the Lord drave out 
from before us all the people, 
even the Amorites which dwelt 
in the land : therefore will we 
also serve the Lord ; for he is 
our God. 

. 19 And Joshua said unto the 
people, q Ye cannot serve the 
Lord : for he is a r holy God : 
he is 8 a jealous God ; the will 



q M.ut. 6.24. 
5, 9. Is. 5. J 6. 



r Lev. 19. 2, I Sam. 6. 20. Ps. £ 
s Ex. 20. 5. i Ex. *3. 21. 



and must not do as the most do, but 
as the best do.' Henry. 

16. The people answered and said, 
God forbid, &c. Joshua has the 
pleasure of finding the people ready 
from their hearts to concur with 
him in his pious resolution. By an 
emphatic expression, denoting the 
greatest dread and detestation ima- 
ginable, they show that they startle 
at the thought of apostatizing from 
God, as if it would imply their being 
utterly lost to justice, gratitude, hon- 
or, and every generous feeling. At 
the same time, they give such sub- 
stantial reasons for their choice, as 
to show that it was not purely out of 
compliment to Joshua, highly as they 
esteemed him, that they made it, but 
from a full conviction of its intrin- 
sic reasonableness and equity. They 
professedly and justly found their 
obligations, first on the consideration 
of the great and merciful things 
which God had done for them, in 
bringing them out of Egypt through 
the wilderness into Canaan, when 
they were now planted in peace; and, 
secondly, of the relation in which 
they stood to God as a covenant 
people. 'He is our God;' he has 
graciously engaged himself by pro- 
mise to us, and we have bound our- 
selves by solemn vow to him. Woe 
be to us if we prove false and treach* 
erous to our plighted faith, 



A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



175 



not forgive your transgressions 
nor your sins. 



19. Ye cannot serve the Lord, &c 
It cannot be supposed for a moment 
that Joshua intended to deter the 
people from the service of God by 
representing it as impracticable or 
dangerous. On the contrary, his de- 
sign is to enlist them more sincerely 
and steadfastly in it, but his knowl- 
edge of the weakness and corruption 
of our fallen nature, prompted him 
to do this in a manner that savors 
of discouragement and repulsive- 
ness. Finding them now animated 
by a glowing zeal, forward and abun- 
dant in thei r professions, and uncon- 
sciously prone to trust to their own 
strengtn, Joshua, in these words, 
designs to administer a wholesome 
check to their ardor, by setting im- 
pressively before them the holy and 
sin-avenging character of the God 
with whom they had to do, and the 
fearful consequences of disobedience 
and apostacy. This would beat them 
off from that overweening self-con- 
fidence which they were so prone to 
indulge. It would convince them 
that it was no light and easy matter 
to persevere in the strict observance 
of the divine precepts, and thus they 
would be more cautious, circum- 
spect, and humble in their profes- 
sions, and go forward in their walk 
with more awe upon their spirits, 
and a more trembling sense of their 
dependence on a higher power than 
their own. This Joshua well knew 
was the only frame of mind which 
could be trusted to for permanent 
and happy results, and he therefore 
aims to have their present lively 
zeal based upon the only foundation 
that would ensure its continuance. 
He would have them count the cost 
of the engagements into which they 
proposed to enter, and be fully aware 
of the temptations, tribulations, con- 
flicts and self-denials which they 
would involve ; and above all would 
have their inmost souls pervaded by 



20 u If ye forsake the Lord, 
and serve strange gods, x then 

ulOhr. 23. 9. 2Chr. 1.5. 2. Etr.i8.22. Is. 1. 23. 
& 65. 11, 12. Jer. 17. 13. x ch. 23. 15. I*. 63. 10. 
Acts 7. 42. 



a deep and awful reverence of God, 
the essential principle of all true re- 
ligion. In like manner, it deserves 
very serious deliberation whether 
there is not danger of representing 
the sincere service of God as a mat- 
ter of very little difficulty, provided 
only there be evidence of a present 
vigorous resolution, and whether it be 
not better in such cases wisely to re- 
press, chasten, and even dampen the 
warmth of present zeal by consider- 
ations like those which Joshua now 
pressed upon the children of Israel. 
The same infallible authority which 
assures that the yoke of Christ is 
easy and his burden light, assures us 
also that the gate is strait, and the 
way narrow, that leads to life, and 
that there is need of striving as well 
as seeking to enter in. Certain it is, 
that great wisdom is requisite in 
every spiritual guide in digging 
deep and laying the foundations 
sure of a life of consistent, uniform, 
and devoted piety. !Nor are we of 
opinion that the policy of such emi- 
nent servants of God, as Moses, 
Joshua, Samuel, Peter, and Paul, 
will ever be out of date in the 
church. The more the sinner des- 
pairs of his own sufficiency, the bet- 
ter security will he give for his ulti- 
mate stability and perseverance in 
the faith. IT He is an holy God. 
Heb. ' he is holy Gods ;' the adjec- 
tive being plural as well as the sub- 
stantive. The expression is remark- 
able and contrary to usual analogy, 
but whether carrying with it any 
special implication in regard to the 
divine nature, it is perhaps impos- 
sible to say. We imagine on the 
whole that to a Hebrew ear the 
phrase would merely convey the 
idea of more emphasis, solemnity, 
and awfulness in respect to the at- 
tribute here affirmed of Jehovah ^ 
Will not forgive. Or, Heb. c will not 
bear, will not tolerate.' The mean- 



176 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



he will turn and do you hurt, 
and consume you, af\er that he 
hath done you good. 

21 And the people said unto 
Joshua, Nay ; but we will serve 
the Lord. 

22 And Joshua said unto the 
people, Ye are witnesses against 
yourselves that rye have chosen 
you the Lord, to serve him. 
And they said, We are witnesses. 

y Ps. 113. 173. 



ing is, not that God was implacable, 
or that he would not show mercy to 
the penitent, however great their 
sins, but that they could not offend 
against him with impunity, that he 
would certainly punish their trans- 
gressions. However, it might be 
with others, they would be sure to be 
visited for their iniquities. 

20. Strange gods. Heb. ' gods of 
the stranger or foreigner.' IT Then 
he will turn, &c. Not in himself or 
in his dispositions towards his 
creatures, for we are elsewhere told 
that with him there is ' no variable- 
ness nor the least shadoiv of turning.'' 
But the character of his dispen- 
sations, the course of his providence 
towards them should be entirely 
changed, in view of the change in 
their conduct towards him. He 
would henceforward be as severe 
and vindictive, as he had before been 
kind and gracious. IT Consume 

you after that he hath done you good. 
Nothing so embitters the judgments 
of God, as the reflection that they 
have been incurred after the experi- 
ence of his tender mercies. The 
fact that we have made him to re- 
pent' of his past kindnesses to us, 
and forget all the good he had 
wrought in our behalf, barbs and en- 
venoms the arrow of remorse be- 
yond the power of language to de- 
scribe. 

21. We will serve the Lord. This 
shows that they understood the words 
of Joshua to imply no moral ina- 



23 Now therefore z put away 
{said he) the strange gods which 
are among you, and incline your 
heart unto the Lord God of Is- 
rael. 

24 And the people said unto 
Joshua, The Lord our God will 
we serve, and his voice will we 
obey. 

25 So Joshua a made a coven- 
ant with the people that day, and 

z ver U. Gen. 35 2. Judg. 10. 16 1 San:. 7. 3. 
a oee Ex. 15. 25. 2 Kin. 11. 17. 



bility on their side, and notwith- 
standing his statement of difficulties, 
and the seeming discouragements 
which he throws in their way, but 
which are really intended to quick- 
en and invigorate their resolutions, 
they declare a firm and fixed pur- 
pose of obedience. In so saying 
they did virtually confirm and ratify 
by their own express consent the 
covenant which Joshua would now 
impose upon them, and by voluntar- 
ily engaging, as he intimated would 
be the case, to be witnesses against 
themselves, provided they turned 
aside from God, they did in effect 
affix their name and seal to that 
solemn covenant, and bind them- 
selves under fearful sanctions to its 
faithful observance. 

23. Put away the strange gods, 
&c. See above on v. 14. Rabbi 
Levi, son of Gerson, a Jewish com- 
mentator, remarks upon this pas- 
sage, that Joshua ' says this to them, 
in order that if their hearts had been 
enticed by any of the idolatries of 
the people of that land, they should 
put away the pernicious thoughts that 
were in them.' Augustin is of the 
same opinion in relation to the true 
meaning of the passage. 

25. Joshua made a covenant. Heb. 
'cut a covenant;' alluding to the 
sacrifice usually offered on such oc- 
casions. But whether the ordinary 
rites were performed at this time is 
uncertain. The use of this term 
does not perhaps necessarily imply 






A. C. 1427.] 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



177 



set them a statute and an ordin- 
ance b in Shechem. 

26 IT And Joshua c wrote these 
words in the book of the law of 
God, and took d a great stone, 
and e set it up there f under an 
oak that was by the sanctuary 
of the Lord. 

b ver. 26. c Dent. 31. 21. d See Judg. 9. 6. e See 
Gen. 28. 18. cb. 4. 3. f Gen. 35. 4. 



that they were. The ceremonies 
usual in forming and in reneiving 
a covenant might not have been the 
same. IT Set them a statute and an 
ordinance. That is, as some sup- 
pose, on renewing the covenant he 
formed the whole into a statute and 
ordinance which was promulgated 
for all Israel to receive and obey, 
Both they and their posterity were 
to regard it in the light of a binding 
enactment, having all the force of a 
divine ordinance. Otherwise the 
phrase, 'he set them a statute, &c., 5 
may mean that he declared or pro- 
pounded to them, he set before them, 
the sum and substance of the Mosaic 
statutes, which their covenant obli- 
ged them to observe. But from 
what is said in the next verse of his 
writing these words in the book of 
the law, we think the former the 
most correct interpretation. 

26. Wrote these words in the book 
of the law of God. He made a re- 
cord of the transaction, particularly 
of the solemn engagements of the 
people, and inserted it on some blank 
space of the great roll on which the 
sacred canon was originally in- 
scribed. There it was written, that 
their obligation to obedience by the 
divine precept and by their own pro- 
mise, might remain on record to- 
gether. It would thus, as intimated 
in v. 25, from its very position serve 
more effectually as ' a statute and an 
ordinance.' and be in fact an ever- 
lasting witness against them in case 
they should prove unfaithful to the 
compact, for it was probably trans- 
cribed from thence into all the 
other copies of the law which were 
" 16 



27 And Joshua said unto all 
the people, Behold, this stone 
shall be *a witness unto us ; for 
h it hath heard all the words of 
the Lord which he spake unto 
us : it shall be therefore a wit- 
ness unto you, lest ye deny your 
God. 

g See Gen. 31. 48, 52 Deut. 31. 19. 21, 26. ch. 22. 
27, 28, 34. h Deut. 32. 1. 

multiplied in after ages for the bene- 
fit of the nation. IT Took a great 
stone, and set it up there under an 
oak. To insure still more effectu- 
ally the memory of this solemn 
transaction, Joshua reared a pillar 
of stone on the spot, according to the 
custom of ancient times, Gen. 28. 18. 
Deut. 27. 2, as an enduring monu- 
ment of the event which had now oc- 
curred. Whether the stone contain- 
ed an inscription defining the pur- 
pose of its erection, is not certain, 
though not improbable. The ' oak' 
here mentioned is supposed by some 
to have been the same with that un- 
der which Jacob buried the ido>s 
and images that were found in his 
family. Gen. 35. 4, but in Judg. 9. 6, 
the original term is translated 
'plain,' and the place where the 
stone was set up is called ' the plain 
of the pillar.' * IT That was by the 
sanctuary of the Lord. Near the 
place where the ark and the taber- 
nacle now stood, during their tem- 
porary continuance at Shechem. 
See on v. 1. 

27. It hath heard all the words , &c. 
A strong figure of speech, by which 
he tacitly upbraids the people with 
the hardness of their hearts, as i£ 
this stone had heard to as good pur- 
pose as some of them ; and if they 
should forget what was now done, 
this stone would so far preserve the 
remembrance of it, as to reproach 
them for their stupidity and careless- 
ness, and be a witness against them. 
Williams very appositely cites from 
Livy the following instance of a 
similar phraseology ; — ' The general 
of the iEqui informed the Roman 



178 



JOSHUA. 



[A. C. 1427. 



28 So * Joshua, let the people 
depart, every man unto his in- 
heritance. 

29 IT k And it came to pass 
after these things, that Joshua 
the son of Nun the servant of 
the Lord died, being a hundred 
and ten years old. 

| i Judg. 2. 6. kJuclg. 2. 8. 

ambassadors (sent to complain of a 
plundering excursion) that they 
might deliver their message to an 
oak which shaded his tent. On this 
one of the ambassadors turning away 
said : ' This venerable oak and all the 
gods shall know that you have viola- 
ted the peace ; they shall now hear 
our complaints ; and may they soon 
be witnesses, when we revenge with 
our arms the violation of divine and 
human rights.' By a like usage of 
speech the sacred writers frequently 
call upon the heavens and the earth 
to hear their addresses to the people 
of Israel. Deut. 32. 1. Is. 1.2. 

28. So Joshua let the people depart, 
every man unto his inheritance. Heb. 
1 sent away, or dismissed ' This 
verse occurs in nearly the same 
words Judg. 2. 6, with the added 
clause, 'to possess the land;' i. e. 
that every one might manfully exert 
himself to expel the Canaanites and 
obtain the complete possession of his 
destined inheritance. — ' In this affec- 
ting manner Joshua took his leave 
of Israel, went from this last and 
perhaps best source to God and them, 
and was speedily taken to his rest in 
heaven/ Scott. 

29. Joshua — died, being an hun- 
dred and ten years old. Precisely 
the age of his renowned ancestor Jo- 
seph ; yet he was not buried in the 
same place with him, but in his own 
inheritance, which seems to have 
been the general practice. — How 
long he lived after the entrance of 
Israel into Canaan we have no 
means of determining. Lightfoot 
thinks it was about seventeen years, 
but the Jewish chronologers gener- 
ally fix it at twenty-seven or twenty- 



30 And they buried him in 
the border of his inheritance in 
jTimnath-serah, which is in 
mount Ephraim, on the north 
side of the hill of Gaash. 

31 And m Israel served the 
Lord all the days of Joshua, and 
all the days of the elders that 



lch. 19. 50. Judg. 2. 9. 



i Judg. 2. 7. 



eight. There is no mention of any 
public mourning at his death, as 
there was for Moses and Aaron, and 
his only epitaph was, in effect, 
couched in the brief terms, ' the ser- 
vant of the Lord.' This however 
comprehended the sum of the high- 
est eulogiums that could be bestow- 
ed on his character. Though infe- 
rior in many respects to Moses, yet 
in this he was equal to him, that ac- 
cording as his work was in the 
sphere in which he was placed, he 
had approved himself a diligent, de- 
voted, and faithful servant of the 
Most High ; and no man need desire 
a more honorable testimonial to re- 
cord his worth to his own or future 
generations. 

30. Buried him in the border of his 
inheritance in Timnath-serah. In 
the compass, in the limits of his in- 
heritance. See the remark on the 
import of the word ' border' in the 
note on ch. 19. 25. Of Timnath-se- 
rah, see on Judg. 2. 9. 

31. The elders that over-lived Josh* 
ua. Heb. ' that prolonged their 
days after Joshua.' Intimating that 
the salutary influence of Joshua's 
exemplary life and character extend- 
ed beyond the term of his natural 
existence, and served for a number 
of years to keep the people in a gen- 
eral course of obedience. Whether 
for good or for evil the effect of our 
example may be expected to live 
after us. This shows that this part 
of the book must have been written 
a considerable time after the death 
of Joshua. See on ch. 4. 9. IT 
Which had known all the works of 
the Lord. Who had been eye-wit- 
nesses of them, who had profound- 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



A. C. 1426.] 

overlived Joshua, and which had 
"known all the works of the 
Lord that he had done for Israel. 
32 IF And °the bones of Jos- 
eph, which the children of Israel 
brought up out of Egypt, buried 
they in Shechem, in a parcel of 
ground Pwhich Jacob bought of 
the sons of Hamor the father of 



179 



n See Deut. 11. 2. & 31. 13. 
13. 19. p Gen. 33. 19. 



o Gen. 50. 25. Ex. 



ly and devoutly regarded them ; who 
had not only seen them, but ponder- 
ed upon them with those sentiments 
which they were calculated to excite. 
Such is the genuine import of 
4 known' in this connection. 

3*2. The bones of Joseph buried 
they in Shechem. Joseph's death 
took place in Egypt about two hun- 
dred years before that of Joshua, 
and we learn, Gen. 50. 25, Ex. 13. 
19, that prior to his decease he had 
given a strict charge that his bones 
should be conveyed away out of 
Egypt by his people when they 
themselves went up from thence. 
Accordingly they had carried these 
precious relics with them in ail their 
wanderings through the wilderness, 
and never attempted to bury them 
till they were peaceably settled in the 
promised land. The act of sepul- 
ture, though here related after the 
account of the death of Joshua, un- 
doubtedly took place before it, and not 
improbably at the time of the gene- 
ral convention at Shechem descri- 
bed in the present chapter. The oc- 
casion, at any rate, would seem to 
have been a very suitable one for 
such a solemn ceremony, although 
it be true that a considerable long 
interval had now elapsed since the 



Shechem for a hundred pieces 
of silver ; and it became the in- 
heritance of the children of Jo- 
seph. 

33 And Eleazar the son of 
Aaron died ; and they buried 
him in a hill that pertained to 
^Phinehas his son, which was 
given him in mount Ephraim. 

q Ex. 6. 25. Judg. 29 28. 

conquest and occupation of Canaan. 
But reasons unknown may have de- 
layed the event. After all, the point 
is uncertain and of little moment. 
If any one prefers to translate the 
original { had buried' instead of ■ bu- 
ried,' implying that the circumstance 
took place some years before when 
the children of Joseph first received 
their inheritance, which they would 
naturally be disposed at once to con- 
secrate by depositing within it the 
remains of their venerated ancestor, 
we know of nothing to object 
against it. 1T Which Jacob bought, 
&c. See on Gen. 33. 19. 

33. And Eleazar — died. Proba- 
bly about the same time with Josh- 
ua. IF In a hill that pertained to 
Phinehas. As the cities assigned to 
the priests lay in the lots of Judah, 
Benjamin, and Simeon, neither fa- 
ther nor son could properly inherit 
a portion located in Mount Ephraim. 
But such a portion might be given 
them there, and the probability is that 
the people voluntarily gave to the 
high priest a place of residence sit- 
uated at a convenient distance from 
Joshua and the tabernacle, and that 
this was called the ' hill of Phineas,' 
because he dwelt longer there than 
his father Eleazar had done. 



THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 



THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 



INTRODUCTION. 

I. — Title t its Origin and Import. 

The seventh book in the received order of the Hebrew Scriptures is 
termed, DEBBIE Shophetim, Judges ; a name derived from fc&EJ Shapkat, 
to judge, to determine causes, to do justice, to vindicate, and also, in general, 
to rule, govern, regulate, and applied here to the chief rulers who governed 
the Hebrew Republic from the days of Moses till the time of Saul, be- 
cause ruling and judging are so intimately connected in the East, that 
sitting in judgment is one of the principal employments of the oriental 
sovereign. From this it will be seen that the title, as thus applied, is to be 
taken in a wider sense than the same term conveys with us, viz. persons 
appointed to determine litigated questions, and to pronounce the sentence 
of the law in criminal cases. Here, on the other hand, it is used to denote 
those occasional leaders and chief magistrates of the Israelites, who led 
out the people to war against their enemies, and after having delivered 
them from the oppression of the neighboring nations, exercised each 
during peace, the office of chief ruler and judge of Israel. Still the 
predominant idea conveyed by the term is rather that of military com- 
manders, or more properly avenging deliverers, than of judicial officers, 
as this latter function came more within the province of the priests. 

In order to form a still more distinct idea of the nature of this office, 
let it be remarked, that the Hebrew constitution made no provision for a 
permanent and general governor of the nation; and that for obvious 
reasons. In the first place, God himself was the chief magistrate of that 
people, and had established an agency, through which his will might be 
at all times ascertained. Under him there was his visible minister, the 
high-priest, who was empowered to attend to the general affairs of the 
nation, where there was no military or civil ruler specially appointed for 
the purpose. It is also to be remembered that every tribe had its own 
chief or prince, whose office was permanent, and who, with the subordinate 
heads of families, wielded the patriarchal powers, which, in ordinary cir- 
cumstances, were amply sufficient to keep the affairs of his tribe in pro- 
per order. In this state of things the mild authority of the high-priest 
ought to have been sufficient for the purposes of general government. 
But this was not the case ; the apostaey and rebellion of the Israelites, and 
the punishment with which such sins were visited, gave occasion for the 
appointment of extraordinary officers, which the organization of the state 
did not in itself require. These were the Judges. They arose from time 
to time as they were wanted; and were sometimes called by God himself 
to their high work, and were sometimes elected by the people. The judge 
was commonly a person who, having been instrumental in delivering 
the people from oppression, continued to administer a government 
more or less extensive during the remainder of his life. Some, however, 
appear to have been appointed to govern in time of peace. Deborah ruled 



184 INTRODUCTION. 

in Israel before the war with Jabin ; Samuel was not introduced to the 
government by his military exploits ; and of several others, it is at least 
uncertain whether they held any military command. The oppressions 
which this book records were not always equally felt over all Israel ; and 
hence the authority of the deliverer sometimes extended only over the 
tribes he had delivered. Thus Jephthah did not exercise his authority on 
the west of the Jordan, nor did that of Barak extend to the east of that 
river. Some of the judges appear to have ruled simultaneously over 
different tribes ; and this is one of the circumstances which render the 
chronology of the period so perplexing. 

The judges did not transmit their dignity to their descendants, neither 
did they appoint successors. They could not enact laws or impose taxes 
on the people, though they made peace or war, and in their judicial ca- 
pacity decided causes without appeal. Yet all this power seems to have 
been rather the result of character and influence, than of any authority 
recognized as inherent in the office, No salary or income was attached 
to it, nor did they receive emoluments of any kind. They had no external 
marks of distinction ; they were surrounded by no circumstances of pomp 
or ceremony ; they had no courtiers, guard, train, or equipage. They 
were in general men of moderate desires, and content to deserve well of 
their country, without seeking to aggrandize or enrich themselves. They 
always considered and conducted themselves as specially called of God, 
relying upon him in all their enterprises, and making it their chief care to 
bring their countryman to acknowledge, worship, and obey him. Though 
evincing in some melancholy instances the infirmities of human nature, 
yet they were on the whole models of true patriotism and of moral worth, 
and eminently free from the public crimes, which in all ages have so 
notoriously flown from the possession and the lust of power. 

It is worthy of remark, that the Carthagenians, who were descended 
from the Tynans, and spoke Hebrew, called their chief magistrates by 
the same name : but the Latins, whose language lacks the sh of the ancient 
Hebrews and Carthagenians, wrote the word with a sharp 5, and adding a 
Latin termination, denominated them Suffeies ; a class of functionaries 
very nearly resembling the archons of the Athenians, and the dictators of 
the Romans. 

II. — Author and Age. 

The authorship of the book cannot be determined with absolute cer- 
tainty. Some ascribe it to Samuel, some to Hezekiah, and some to Ezra, 
who is supposed to have compiled it from the memoirs furnished by the 
respective judges of their own government. This hypothesis is founded 
mainly on what is said ch. 18. 30, ' He and his son were priests to the 
tribe of Dan, until the day of the captivity of the land,' from which it has 
been imagined that it was not written till after the Babylonish captivity. 
But this conjecture is evidently erroneous ; as upon comparing Ps. 78. 60, 
61, andl Sam. 4,11, with that passage, it appears that the captivity intended 
by the historian was a particular captivity of the tribe of Dan, or of that 
part of it which was settled in the north, and which took place about the 
time the ark was taken by the Philistines. Besides, the total absence of 
Chaldee words sufficiently proves the date of the book to have been several 
centuries anterior to the great Babylonish captivity. Such words are of 
frequent occurrence in books known to have been written posterior to 
that event. Most of the Jewish and Christian commentators assign the 
authorship to Samuel ; probably because internal evidence places it pretty 
clearly about his time, and in his time he is the most likely person to 



INTRODUCTION. 185 

whom the writing of it could be ascribed. That it was written after the 
establishment of the regal government, appears from the habit the author 
has of saying, that such and such events happened in the time when ' there 
was no king in Israel ;' which renders it evident that there icas a king 
when he wrote. But that it was written very soon after the establishment 
of kingly government is no less clear from other passages. Thus we see 
from ch. 1. 21, that the Jebusites were still in Jerusalem in the time of the 
author; but this people were expelled from that city early in the reign of 
David, 2 Sam. 5. 6. So also in 2 Sam. 11. 21, there is a distinct reference 
to a fact recorded Judg. 9. 53, which affords another proof that this book 
was written before the second of Samuel. On the whole, there is little 
doubt that the book of Judges was composed in its present form, either in 
the reign of Saul or during the first seven years of the reign of David, 
and this renders it more probable that it was compiled from the public 
registers and records by Samuel, than by any of the other prophets, 
priests, or kings to whom it has been attributed. 

III. — Structure and Division. 

The book is not constructed with reference to the precise chronologi- 
cal order of the events related. It is clearly divisible into two leading 
parts; the first embracing the history of the Judges from Othniel to Sam- 
son and extending to the end of the sixteenth chapter ; the other occupy- 
ing the rest of the book, forms a sort of appendix, narrating certain me- 
morable transactions which occurred not long after the death of Joshua, 
but which are thrown together at the end of the book, that the continuous 
thread of the preceding narrative might not be interrupted. What re- 
lates to the two last judges, Eli and Samuel, is related in the following 
book. 

t V\ — Chronology. 

The Chronology of this book is exceedingly embarrassed and difficult, 
and there is little agreement among learned men respecting it. This arises 
chiefly from the facts related being reckoned from different eras which 
cannot now be exactly ascertained ; and also from judges being thought 
by some to be successive, whom others consider to have been contemporary 
in different parts of Palestine. Without reciting the details of the differ- 
ent hypotheses proposed to solve these difficulties, it may be sufficient to 
state, that Dr. Hales makes the whole period from the death of Joshua to 
the death of Samson to be 400 years, while Usher and Lightfoot make it 
not far from 300. After all it is doubtful whether, from the nature of the 
book, it is possible to adjust the narrative into a regular chronological 
series. It appears, for the most part, to have been composed of loose his- 
torical memoranda, having little relation to each other, and put together 
by the compiler, like the narratives of the Evangelists in the New Testa- 
ment, without the least view to a methodical arrangement. Accordingly 
in our remarks on the book we purposely leave all chronological ques- 
tions untouched. 

V. — Scope and Character. 

The book of Judges forms an important link in the history of the 
Israelites, and is very properly inserted between the books of Joshua and 
Samuel, as the Judges were the intermediate governors between Joshua 
and the kings of Israel. It furnishes a lively description of a fluctuating 



186 INTRODUCTION. 

and unsettled people, a striking 'picture of the disorders and dangers which 
prevailed in a republic without magistracy, when ' the highways were 
unoccupied, and the travellers walked through by-ways,' when few pro- 
phets arose to control the people, and ' every one did that which was right 
in his own eyes.' It exhibits the contest of true religion with supersti- 
tion ; displays the benefits that flow from the former ; and represents the 
miseries and evil consequences of impiety ; affording, in fine, a complete 
verification of the warnings and predictions of Moses, that the children of 
Israel should be prosperous or unfortunate, according as they obeyed or 
violated the divine commands. From the scenes of discord and violence 
which darken this history, Paul has presented us with some illustrious 
examples of faith in the instances of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jep- 
thah ; and Dr. Graves remarks, that ' by a superficial reader, the whole 
period under the Judges may be easily mistaken for an uninterrupted 
series of idolatries and crimes, from his not observing that the lapses 
which incurred punishment, and the divine deliverances which attended 
repentance, are related so fully as to occupy almost the whole narrative ; 
while long periods, when, under the government of the Judges, the people 
followed God and the. land enjoyed peace, are passed over in a single 
verse, as productive of no events which required a particular detail. 5 

The whole period is distinguished by a display of extraordinary 
events, and by the most glaring and miraculous proofs of divine interpo- 
sition. The history of God's government must necessarily be character- 
ised by the demonstrations of his immediate agency ; and the selected in- 
strument of his will may well be expected to exhibit a succession of 
unprecedented exploits. It should, however, be observed that some of the 
actions here recorded were justifiable only on the supposition of a divine 
warrant, which superseded all general rules of conduct. "Without this, 
the deeds of Ehud, and of Jael, might be pronounced censurable for their 
treachery, however commendable the motives by which they were promp- 
ted. In respect too to some other incidents, it is obvious that the sacred 
writer by no means vindicates all that he relates ; and that the indiscrim- 
inate massacre of the people of Jabesh-Gilead and the rape of the virgins 
at Shiloh, stamped as they are with the evident marks of injustice and 
cruelty, cannot possibly be justified on the principles which the Scriptures 
elsewhere furnish. In all such cases, and in the recorded characters of 
God's ministers in general who are brought before us in this book, we 
perceive the traces of human infirmity ; and while we discriminate be- 
tween the lights and shades that mark the picture, it cannot be question- 
able what parts of their conduct we are called to imitate and what to 
avoid. 

VI. — Commentators. 

The Commentators upon this book are for the most part the same as 
those who have undertaken to illustrate the book of Joshua, and whom 
the reader will find enumerated in the Introduction to that book. Of 
these the most important are the following : — 

Sebastiani Schmid Commentarius in Librum Judicum, in 
quo prater* difigentem textus explicationem, prcecipuce qucestiones 
et loci communes, quos vocant, ad singula capita et subjinem ap- 
pendix chronologica adduntur. Argentorati, 1706. Ato. 

Of the elder commentators it would not be easy to point out a superior to 
Schmid. For accurate analysis, for strict and careful explication of words 



INTRODUCTION. 187 

and phrases, for rigid preciseness in fixing the connection, and for skill 
in drawing out his didactic inferences, he is perhaps unrivalled. He is 
indeed prone to dwell unduly upon trifles, but this was the fault of the age, 
rather than of the man. His works are a rich store-house of biblical ex- 
position, and the Commentary on Judges is the most finished of his pro- 
ductions. Walch says of it, in his : Bibliotheca Theologica,' that it is c a 
distinguished work, at the head of all the commentaries which our 
countrymen have written. The author treats every thing, both words 
and things, diligently, learnedly, and copiously, and whoever consults 
this work, can easily dispense with all others.' Buddeus, in his ' Isagoge,' 
is equally decided in his testimony to the merits of Schmid as a com- 
mentator. 

Nicolai Serarii Judices et Ruth explanati. Moguntiae, 
1609. Fol. 

Victorini Strigelii Liber Judicum, argumentis et scholiis 
illustratus. Lipsise, 1575, 1586. 8vo. 

Davidis Chytrjei in Jdstoriam Judicum populi Israel dilu- 
cidus et perspicuus commentarius, cum inserta illius temporis histo- 
riarum chronologia. Francofurti, 1589. 8vo. 

Jo. Adami Osiandri Commentarius in Librum Judicum, ex- 
hibens sacrum cum exegesi textum, lectionum et versionum vari- 
etatem, conciliates antilogias, chronologiam, utilium quaistionum 
solutiones, objectiones cum vindiciis, observationes philologicas, et 
locos communes doctrinales. Tubingse, 1682. Fol. 

1 To^be enumerated among the best interpretations of this book.' Walch. 

Martini Buceri Commentarius in Librum Judicum. Par- 
isiis, 1554, 1563. Fol. 

Petri Martyri Commentarius in Librum Judicum. Tiguri, 
1561. Londini, 1564. Fol. 

Jacobi Bonfreri Commentarius in Josua?n, Judices, et Ruth 
Parisiis 1631, 1659. Fol. 

Jo. Enr. Grabii Epistola ad clarissm. vir. Joannem Mil- 
Hum, qua ostenditur, Libri Judicum genuinam LXX interpretum 
versionem earn esse, quam MS. codex Alexandrinus exhibet ; 
Romanam autem editionem, quod ad dictum librum, ab ilia prorsus 
diversam, atque eandem cum Hesychiano esse. Oxonise, 1707. 4to. 

Christ. Fred. Schnurrer R. Tanchum Hierosylumitam 
ad libros Vet. Testamenti Commentarii Arabici Specimen, una 
cum annotationibus ad aliquot loca libri Judicum. Tugingae, 
1791. 4to. 



188 INTRODUCTION. 

Wern. Carl. Ludw. Zieglers Bemerkungen iiber das 
Buch der Richter aus dem Geist des Heldenalters ; nebst Beur- 
teilung der grieschischen Versionen, und Hirer Abweichung vom 
Originaltexl ; in Auctoris Theologischen Abhandlugen, erster Band. 
Gotting. 1791. 8vo. p. 262. seqq. 

Heinr. Eberh. Gottl. Paulus BUcke in das Buck der 
Richter, wahr scheinlich den altesten Rest anoder altehebra* 
ischen Liter atur, in Auctoris Theolog. Exegel. Conservatorium, 
P. II. (Heidelberg, 1822.) p. 180. seqq. 

Gottl. Ludw. Studer das Buch der Richter grammatisch 
und historisch erkldrt Bern, 1835. 8vo. 

A valuable and well digested work ; devoted principally to philological 
illustration, and, after the German fashion, keeping studiously clear of 
every practical remark, and of every thing in fact beyond the bare letter. 

In addition to the above, much valuable matter bearing upon the eluci- 
dation of different parts of this book, will be found in ' Lowth's Hebrew 
Poetry,' ' Green's Poetical Parts of the Old Testament,' { Herder's Spirit 
of Hebrew Poetry,' and Prof. Robinson's Intrepretation of Judges, ch. 5, 
the Song of Deborah and Barak, in the ' Biblical Repertory, ' No. III. 
June 1831. 



THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 



CHAPTER I. 

"MOW after the death of Josh- 
■^ * ua it came to pass, that the 
children of Israel a asked the 
Lord, saying, Who shall go up 

a Num. 27. 21. ch 20. 18. 



CHAPTER L 

1. After the death of Joskua, How 
long after we have no means ol de- 
termining ; probably not Jong, for 
Othniel, the first judge after Josh- 
ua's decease, had been his contem- 
porary and was in fact his son-in- 
law. If Asked the Lord. The 
original phrase is the usual one for 
consulting the oracle, or inquiring 
by the ministry of the high-priest, 
and through the medium of the Urim 
and Thummim, the will of Jehovah 
as to the great matters of duty and 
policy. As w r e read of no particu- 
lar person, w T ho succeeded Joshua 
as commander-in-chief of the Isra- 
elites, it is probable that every tribe 
was governed, by one or more of its 
elders for a number of years, and 
that in their w r ars with the Canaan- 
ites they also were their military 
leaders. As the people were now 
becoming more numerous and capa- 
ble of occupying a larger extent of 
territory, they deemed it expedient 
to renew the war, but having no sin- 
gle head to take trie lead in the en- 
terprise, they very properly sought 
direction from above as to the 
manner in w r hich the war should be 
conducted. It will be observed that 
they do not inquire what Indivi- 
dual should be chosen as successor 
to Joshua and commander of the 
forces, but which of the tribes shall 
take the precedency in the expedi- 
tion. Whether each tribe was am- 
bitious of the honor or fearful of the 
danger of being first, it is not possi- 
ble to determine, but by common 
consent it was resolved to refer the 
17 



for us against the Canaanites 
first to fight against them ? 

2 And the Lord said, b Judah 
shall go up : behold, I have de- 
livered the land into his hand. 



matter to God, the proper arbiter in 
every doubtful case. Happy is it 
for us that we have the same infal- 
lible source of guidance to which to 
apply in all our perplexities. IT 
Who shall go up for its ? The com- 
mon term for a military expedition. 
See Is. 7. 1. Jer. 50. 3, The phrase 
1 for us' puts the ' going up' in rela- 
tion to the whole body of the people. 
The success of whatever tribe took 
the lead would be an earnest and as- 
surance of the success of the rest in 
obtaining complete possession of 
their respective allotments. 

2. Judah shall go up. That is, 
the tribe of Judah, not a person of 
this name. So in v. 3, Simeon 
stands for the tribe of Simeon, and. 
so also generally in the sequel. The 
precedency was given to Judah, be- 
cause it was the most numerous, 
powerful, and valiant of all the 
tribes and that which the Lord de- 
signed should possess the pre-em- 
inence in all respects, as being the 
one from w T hich the Messiah was to 
spring, and for that reason crowned 
with the ' excellency of dignity' 
above all its fellows. Judah there- 
fore must lead in this perilous en- 
terprise ; for God not only appoints 
service according to the srength 
and ability he has given, but ' would, 
also have the burden of honor and 
the burden of labor go together.' 
Those who have the precedency in 
rank, reputation, or influence should 
always be disposed to go before 
others in every good work, undis- 
mayed by danger, difficulty, or ob- 
loquy, that they may encourage 



190 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1425. 



3 And Judah said unto Simeon 
his brother, Come up with me 
into my lot, that we may fight 
against the Canaanites ; and c l 
likewise will go with thee into 
thy lot. So Simeon went with 
him. 

4 And Judah went up, and 
the Lord delivered the Canaan- 
ites and the Perizzites into their 



others by their example. 1T I have 
delivered the land into his hand. 
Have determined that he shall sub- 
due it. Not the whole land, but the 
land or district destined for his in- 
heritance. This God had so firmly- 
purposed to deliver into his hand 
that it might be considered as al- 
ready done, and such assurance of 
victory would naturally give cour- 
age for the contest, 

3. Judah said unto Simeon — come 
up with me, &c. This proposition 
was made to Simeon because these 
tribes being descended, by their pro- 
genitors, from the same father and 
mother, Jacob and Leah, were breth- 
ren in the strictest sense, and be- 
cause also the lot of Simeon fell 
within that of Judah. This laid a 
natural ground for their union and 
co-operation in the enterprise. c Ob- 
serve here that the strongest should 
not despise but desire the assistance 
even of those that are weaker. It 
becomes Israelites to help one ano- 
ther against Canaanites ; and all 
Christians, even those of different 
tribes, to strengthen one another's 
hands against the common interests 
of Satan's kingdom.' Henry. Caleb 
was probably commander in this war. 

4. The Lord delivered the Canaan- 
ites and the Perizzites. Or, Heb. 
'the Canaanite, even the Perizzite.' 
It is not clear that distinct tribes are 
intended. H They slew of them in 
Bezek, &c. That is, in the city and 
the adjacent territory. This city is 
supposed to have been in the tribe of 
Judah, though there was another ly- 
ing to the south of BeuVshean (Scy- 



hand : and they slew of them in 
d Bezek ten thousand men. 

5 And they found Adoni-be* 
zek in Bezek : and they fought 
against him, and they slew the 
Canaanites and the Perizzites* 

6 But Adoni-bezek fled ; and 
they pursued after him, and 
caught him, and cut off his 
thumbs and his great toes. 

dl Sam. 11.8. 

thopolis) seven miles from Sichem, 
where Saul reviewed his army be- 
fore marching against Jabesh-Gile- 
ad. This verse is to be considered 
merely as a brief compend of the 
narrative which is more fully ex- 
panded in v. 5. — 7. No feature of 
the historical style of the Scriptures 
is more common than this. 

5. And they found Adoni-bezek. 
That is, ' lord or king of Bezek ;' 
probably the common title of the 
kings of that place. The original 
word ft**}! found is sometimes used 
to denote a hostile encounter ; to at- 
tack, to surprise, and probably has 
that sense here. The first word of 
this Verse, ' and' would be better ren- 
dered c for' in accordance with the 
remark made above respecting the 
drift of v. 5. — 7. 

6. Cut off his thumbs and his great 
toes. Heb. ' the thumbs of his 
hands and of his feet.' Either by 
express direction or secret impulse 
from God, who thus purposed to 
1 mete to him the measure he had 
meted to others.' ' The Hindoos 
call the thumb the revia-vtril, the 
great finger of the hand, and the 
large toe is named the great finger 
of the foot. This punishment was 
exceedingly common in ancient 
times, and was inflicted principally 
on those who had committed some 
flagrant offence with their hands and 
their feeL Thus, those convicted of 
forgery, or numerous thefts, had 
their thumbs cut off. The practice 
is abolished, but its memory will re- 
main, as it is now one of the scare- 
crows of the nursery and domestic - 



A. C. 1425.] CHAPTER I. 

7 And Adoni-bezek said, 
Three-score and ten kings, hav- 
ing their thumbs and their great 
toes cut off, gathered their meal 



191 



life : ' If you steal any more, I will 
cut off your thumbs.' 'Let me 
find out the thief, and I will soon 
have his thumbs.' — Roberts. The 
loss of the thumbs would disable 
them from drawing the bow or hand- 
ling to advantage the sword or the 
spear, and so would in effect utterly 
incapacitate them for war. l As to 
the loss of the great toes, independ- 
ently of the inconvenience occa- 
sioned in the act of running or walk- 
ing, the disabling effect to an Orien- 
tal is infinitely greater than to an 
European. The feet and toes are 
much employed in all the handicraft 
operations throughout the East, and 
in many cases the loss of the great 
toes would completely disqualify a 
man from earning his subsistence. 
Besides the many little active oper- 
ations which they are tutored to ex- 
ecute, the artisans, as they work 
with their hands, seated on the 
ground, hold fast and manage all 
their work with their feet and toes, 
in which the great toes have a very 
prominent duty to perform. Ward, 
in his i View of the Hindoos,' has 
fully shown to what excellent uses 
the toes are applied in India. i They 
are second-hand fingers ; they are 
called feet-fingers in Bengalee. In 
his own house a Hindoo makes use 
of them to fasten a clog to his feet 
by means of a button, which slips 
between the two middle toes. The 
tailor, if he does not thread his 
needle, certainly twists his thread 
with them. The cook holds his 
knife with his toes while he cuts 
fish, vegetables, &c. The joiner, 
the weaver, &c, could not do with- 
out them ; and almost every native 
has twenty different uses for his toes.' 
Pict. Bible. 

7. Three-score and ten kings, &c. 
Not perhaps all at one time, but 
first and last, during his whole reign , 



under my table; e as I have done, 
so God hath requited me. And 
they brought him to Jerusalem, 
and there he died. 

e Lev. 24. 19. 1 Sam. 15. ?3. Jam. I 13. 

It would seem that wasting civil 
wars had very much prevailed 
among the Canaanites previous to 
the arrival of the Israelites, and this 
circumstance probably tended to 
facilitate their conquests. l Judah,' 
says Lightfoot, 'in conquering 
Adoni-bezek did in effect conquer 
seventy kings.' In the case of this 
cruel tyrant we cannot fail to per- 
ceive the uncertainty of human 
greatness. The mighty potentate is 
here reduced to the condition of a 
prisoner, to the very extremity of 
meanness and disgrace; showing 
that pre-eminence in station often 
leads only to a sad pre-eminence in 
misery and distress. 'Let not the 
highest be proud, nor the strongest 
secure, for they know not how low 
they may be brought before they die.' 
Henry. IT As I have done, so God 
hath requited me. A striking ac- 
knowledgment, extorted from a 
guilty conscience, of the retributive 
justice of Heaven. 'When God's 
judgments awaken the conscience 
we shall own his righteousness, and 
stand self-condemned before him. 
Haiveis. What pretences he had 
for warring against these kings, 
we know not; but thus to insult 
over the misfortunes of the van- 
quished, to maim their persons, and 
compel them, like dogs, to gather up 
the crumbs from under his table, ar- 
gued a degree of cruelty which one 
could scarcely have conceived to 
exist in a rational being. As the 
personal injuries he had inflicted 
would of course disable them from 
harming him as long as they were 
kept in bondage, thus to sport him- 
self in their miseries, was a conduct 
of pure gratuitous cruelty, and could 
have proceeded only from the most 
barbarous and brutal dispositions. 
But we have cause to be humbled 
for human nature that such propen- 



192 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1425. 



8 (Now f the children of Ju- 
dah had fought against Jeru- 
salem, and had taken it, and 
smitten it with the edge pf the 
sword, and set the city on fire.) 

y IF & And afterward the chil- 
dren of Judah went down to 
fight against the Canaanites that 

f See Josh. \1. 13. g Josh. 10. 36. & 11. 21. & 15. 13. 



sities still adhere to it. This is evi- 
dent from the pleasure which child- 
ren often take in torturing insects 
and animals, and in vexing and ty- 
rannizing over those who are weak- 
er than themselves — a disposition 
which in after life displays itself in 
a fondness for despotic sway, in a 
vindictive spirit, and in a career of 
ruthless ambition. But God is 
known by the judgments that he ex- 
ecuteth, and this cruel Canaanite 
was in his turn made to feel the an- 
guish which he had so wantonly in- 
flicted upon others. The Israelites 
were led to deal with him on the 
principle of their own law of retal- 
iation, £ an eye for an eye, a tooth 
for a tooth/ &c; although, as it 
would have been inconsistent with 
those gracious affections which, as 
the Lord's chosen people, they were 
bound to exercise, they did not re- 
duce him to the same ignominy or 
insult over him with the same arro- 
gance that he had shown towards 
others. Thus it is that God some- 
times makes men's punishments to 
correspond with their crimes ; and 
in this case, notwithstanding all the 
feelings of humanity, we cannot but 
acquiesce in the judgment that be- 
fel him, or help being conscious of 
a secret satisfaction that the same 
evils he had so cruelly inflicted upon 
others should be brought home to 
himself. 

8. Had fought against Jerusalem 
and had taken it. This event, of 
prior occurrence, is mentioned here 
to intimate how it happened that they 
were able to convey the captive king 
to Jerusalem. It was because they 
had before taken that city, and it 



dwelt in the mountain, and in the 
south, and in the valley. 

10 And Judah went against 
the Canaanites that dwelt in He- 
bron : (now the name of Hebron 
before was h Kirjath-arba :) and 
they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, 
and Talmai. 

h Josh. 14.15, & '5. 13, 11. 



was now in their possession. The 
reason of removing him thither was 
perhaps to make him a more public 
spectacle of the just judgments of 
God against barbarous and blood- 
thirsty tyrants. But though the 
city is said to have been taken, yet 
the hill of Zion, as appears from the 
subsequent history, was still held by 
the Jebusites till the time of David. 
% Set the city on fire. Heb. ' cast 
the city into the fire •/ an inverted 
phraseology, peculiar to the Hebrew. 
Thus Ps. 74. 7, ' They have cast fire 
into the sanctuary ;' Heb. ' they 
have cast thy sanctuary into the fire, J 
Joel, 3. 18, ( The hills shall flow with 
milk ;' Heb. ( milk shall flow with 
hills,' This burning the city or a 
part of it, was probably in token of 
their detestation of the idolatry 
which had been practised there. 

9. Went down to fight , &c. That 
is, descended to the hill-country ly- 
ing south of Jerusalem. 

10. And Judah went down against 
the Canaanites, &c. That is, under 
the conduct of Caleb, as we learn 
from Josh. 15, 14 — 19, where sub- 
stantially the same account with the 
present occurs. How this has hap- 
pened, whether the writer of Judges 
took this narrative from Joshua, or 
the writer of Joshua inserted his 
from Judges, it is impossible to de- 
termine. That both accounts relate 
the same events there can be no 
doubt, but whether those events oc- 
curred before or after the death of 
Joshua, is a point which we despair 
of ever having satisfactorily settled. 
As the discussion of the question 
would encumber our pages with 
matter of little profit to the general 



A. C. 1444.] 



CHAPTER I. 



193 



11 » And from thence he went 
against the inhabitants of Debir : 
and the name of Debir before 
was Kirjath-sepher : 

12 k And Caleb said, He that 
smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and ta- 
keth it, to him will I give Ach- 
sah my daughter to wife. 

13 And Othniel the son of 
Kenaz, ^Caleb's younger broth- 
er, took it : and he gave him 
Achsah his daughter to wife. 

14 m And it came to pass, 
when she came to hi?n, that she 
moved him to ask of her father 
a field: and she lighted from off 



iJosh. 15.15. 
m Josh. 15. IS, 19. 



k Josh. 15 16, 17, 



1 ch. 3. 9. 



reader, we waive it entirely without 
offering an opinion. II Slew Sheshai. 
and Ahiman, and Talmai. In the par- 
allel passage, Josh. 15. 14, Caleb is 
said merely tojhave ' driven out' these 
sons of Anak. The probability is, 
that the words before us give the 
true sense, and that they were actu- 
ally slain. An enemy driven out 
is not necessarily understood to be 
slain, but whoever is slain is virtu- 
ally driven out, by being expelled 
from among the living. 

11—15. See on Josh. 15. 15—19. 

16. The children of the Kenite % Mo- 
ses 1 f other -w\Aaw . That is, of Jeth- 
ro ; but why he is called the Kenite 
it is not easy to say. The probabil- 
ity is, that he inhabited the country 
occupied by a people of this name, 
Num. 24. 21, 22, and on this account 
in process of time came to be distin- 
guished by the same appellation. 
Whether Jethro himself accompani- 
ed Israel into Canaan, according to 
Moses' invitation, Num. 10. 32, is 
not clear, but that his posterity did 
is certain. After their arrival, they 
at first pitched their tents near Jer- 
icho, called also ' the city of Palm- 
trees,' which lay in the lot of Benja- 
min, and here remained during the 
17* 



Iter ass; and Caleb said unto 
her, What wilt thou ? 

15 And she said unto him, 
n Give me a blessing: for thou 
hast given me a south land ; 
give me also springs of water. 
And Caleb gave her the upper 
springs, and the nether springs. 

16 IF °And the children of 
the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, 
went up out Pof the city of palm- 
trees with the children of Judah 
into the wilderness of Judah, 
which lieth in the south of 
^Arad ; r and they went and 
dwelt among the people. 

n Gen. 33. If. o ch. 4. 11, 17. 1 Sam. 15. 6. 1 Chr. 
2. 55. Jer. 35. 2. p Deut. 34. 3. q Num. 21. |. 
r Num. 10. 32. 



life-time of Joshua. After his death, 
for reasons now unknown, they uni- 
ted with the tribe of Judah, and 
went with them to attack Arad. Af- 
ter the conquest of that country, the 
Kenites established themselves there 
and remained in it mingled with the 
Amalekites, and leading a quiet life 
remote from public affairs, till the 
days of Saul. When this king re- 
ceived a commandment from God to 
destroy the Amalekites, he sent a 
message to the Kenites to depart 
from among them, as God would not 
destroy them with that devoted peo- 
ple. From them descended Hemath, 
the father of the house of Rechab, 
of whom we have so interesting an 
account, Jerem. 35. IT Arad. Of 
this place see on Num. 21. 1. IT And 
they went and dwelt, &c. That 
is, the greatest part of them. Some 
few families were dispersed in other 
places, as we find the tent of Jael, 
who was of this stock, far to the 
north, in the tribe of Naphtali, when 
Sisera took shelter there, ch. 4. 17. 
IT Among the people. Heb. ' that peo- 
ple;' viz. the children of Judah re- 
sident there. ' They who willingly 
share with God's Israel in their suf- 
ferings in the wilderness, shall share 



194 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1425. 



17 8 And Judah went with 
Simeon his brother, and they 
slew the Canaanites that inhab- 
ited Zephath, and utterly de- 
stroyed it. And the name of 
the city was called tHormah. 

18 Also Judah took u Gaza 
with the coast thereof, and As- 

s ver. 3. t Num. 21. 3. Josh. 19. 4. u Josh. 11. 22. 

also with them in the inheritance 
in glory.' Haiveis. 

17. And Judah went toith Simeon, 
&c. According to previous com- 
pact, v. 3. The thread of the nar- 
rative which had been interrupted 
for the purpose of introducing the 
foregoing account of Caleb and Oth- 
niel, is here resumed. IT Slew the 
Canaanites that inhabited Zephath. 
A valley called Zephathah, is men- 
tioned 2 Chron. 14. 19, as lying near 
Maresha in the southern section of 
Judah, where Asa gained a signal 
victory over the Ethiopian army. 
This is probably the same place. It 
was now destroyed in pursuance of 
a vow taken by Israel before the 
death of Moses, Num. 21. 1 — 3, and 
w r hich for some reason they had de- 
layed to perform till this time. This 
seems likely from the fact that the 
same name, ' Hormath,' importing 
utter destruction, is there also be- 
stowed upon the devoted region, and 
we can otherwise see no particular 
reason for making Zephath an an- 
athema on this occasion. Arad ap- 
pears not to have been so much the 
name of a city, as of a tract of coun- 
try embracing a number of cities, of 
which perhaps Zephath was the 
principal. 

18. Took Gaza with the coast 
thereof. With the adjoining terri- 
tory thereof; and so in what follows. 
Having conquered the south, they 
turned their arms towards the Phi- 
listines' country in the west. These 
cities it is said they ■ took,' but it is 
not said that they slew the inhabi- 
tants, as they ought to have done. 
They probably contented themselves 
with making them tributary, and as 



kelon with the coast thereof, and 
Ekron with the coast thereof. 

1 9 And x the Lord was with 
Judah ; and he drave out the in- 
habitants of the mountain ; but 
could not drive out the inhabi- 
tants of the valley, because they 
had ? chariots of iron. 

xver. 2. 2 Kings 13. 7. y Josh. 17. 16, 18. 



a consequence or their ill-judged 
lenity, they afterwards recovered 
strength, expelled their invaders, 
and remained for ages an almost in- 
cessant source of annoyance and 
vexation to the Israelites. 

19. Drave out the inhabitants of 
the mountain. Or, Heb. ' possessed 
the mountain.' The idea of the or- 
iginal however is, possessing in con- 
sequence of a previous expulsion. If 
the former sense of ' driving out' be 
retained, mountain, i. e. the moun- 
tainous region, is of course used for 
mountaineers, or the inhabitants of 
the mountain, as the name of a coun- 
try or city often stands for its occu- 
pants. In the parallel member of 
the sentence immediately following, 
the word c inhabitants* is expressed. 
IF But could not drive out, &c. That 
is, Judah could not. The reason 
why they could not was their unbe- 
lief. Had they duly confided in 
omnipotence, the chariots of iron 
would have been no more of an ob- 
stacle to them than chariots of straw. 
But although on a former occasion, 
Josh. II. 4 — 9, they had seen how 
complete was the victory which 
Joshua, relying upon God, had ob- 
tained over these engines of war, 
yet now they w r eakly suffer their 
fears to prevail over their faith, and 
instead of trusting God under ap- 
parent disadvantages, they meanly 
withdraw their forces, w 7 hen one 
bold stroke would have completed 
their victories. So with believers, 
when they view outward difficulties 
with the eye of sense, and forget the 
almighty power of God ; their hearts 
grow discouraged , their expectations 
feeble, and their attempts timid and 



A. C. 1425.] 



CHAPTER I. 



195 



20 z And they gave Hebron 
unto Caleb, as Moses said : and 
he expelled thence the three sons 
of Anak. 

21 a And the children of Ben- 
jamin did not drive out the Jeb- 
usites that inhabited Jerusalem ; 
but the Jebusites dwell with the 
children of Benjamin in Jerusa- 
lem unto this day. 

t. Num. 14. 24. Deut. 1. 36. Josh. 14. 9, 13. & 15. 
13, 14. a See Josh. 15. 63. & 13. 28. 



22 H And the house of Jo- 
seph, they also went up against 
Beth-el : b and the Lord was 
with them. 

23 And the house of Joseph 
c sent to descry Beth-el. Now 
the name of the city before ivas 
d Luz. 

24 And the spies saw a man 
come forth out of the city, and 



b ver. 19. 
28. 19. 



c Josh. 2. 1. & 7. 2. ch. 18. 2. d Gen. 



wavering ; and then no wonder they 
do not prosper, for in proportion to 
our faith will be our vigor, zeal, 
and success. The Chal. paraphrast 
renders the verse; 'And the Word 
of Jehovah was in the support of the 
house of Judah, and they extirpated 
the inhabitants of the mountains ; 
but afterwards, when they sinned, 
they were not able to extirpate the 
inhabitants of the plain-country, be- 
cause they had chariots of iron.' 

20. And they gave Hebron unto Ca- 
leb, &c. We have little doubt that 
the true design of inserting this verse 
in this connection is lost sight of, by 
the present mode of rendering. Let 
the verb be translated in the pluper- 
fect tense, ' had given,' and the drift 
is obvious. It is as if the writer had 
said, ' Although they had some time 
before given Hebron to Caleb, and 
he had expelled thence the three 
gigantic sons of Anak, who were 
deemed the most formidable and in- 
vincible of all the old inhabitants of 
Canaan, and though his success 
ought to have been regarded as a 
pledge and earnest of their own, let 
the opposing power have been what 
it might, yet notwithstanding this 
precedent, they ignobly failed in the 
achievement of a conquest equally 
easy.' Understood in this sense, the 
words instead of being an unmean- 
ing repetition of an incident fre- 
quently mentioned before, are in 
fact a tacit but severe rebuke of the 
cowardice and pusillanimity of the 
nation. 
21. The children of Benjamin did 



not drive out the Jebusites. Jerusa- 
lem was situated partly in the tribe 
of Judah, and partly in that of Ben- 
jamin; the northern part belonging 
to the latter tribe, the southern to the 
former. This will account for the 
fact, that what is here said of Ben- 
jamin, is in Josh. 15. 63, said of Ju- 
dah. It was owing to the most cul- 
pable remissness on the part of the 
tribe of Benjamin that these Jebu- 
sites were not expelled from their 
strong-hold. As the Jebusites dwelt 
in Jerusalem till the days of David, 
and the author of this book states 
them to have been in possession of 
Jerusalem when he wrote, therefore 
this book was certainly written before 
the reign of David, or before the 
date of his capture of that part of the 
city. 

22. The house of Joseph — went up. 
That is, the tribe of Ephraim, as ap- 
pears from the contrary affirmation 
respecting Manasseh. IT The Lord 
xcas with them. Another mode of 
saying.that they were eminently suc- 
cessful in the expedition. The pre- 
sence of God with us in our conflicts 
is the strongest assurance of tri- 
umph. Chal. ' The Word of the 
Lord was their Helper ;' i. e. Christ. 

23. Sent to descry Bethel. Heb. 
' sent to descry, or explore in Bethel.' 
That is, in the region or tract im- 
mediately surrounding the city The 
primary sense of the original is to 
make a circuit, especially with a 
view to spy, explore, or reconnoitre. 
From this the native import of the 
word, and from the term made use 



196 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1425. 



they said unto him, Show us, we 
pray thee, the entrance into the 
city, and e we will show thee 
mercy. 

25 And when he showed 
them the entrance into the city, 
they smote the city with the 
edge of the sword : but they let 
go the man and all his family. 

26 And the man went into 
the land of the Hittites, and 
built a city, and called the name 

e Josh. 8. 12,14. 

of in the next verse to designate the 
persons in question, there is little 
doubt that the language implies the 
constant employment of a number of 
persons in this service, their being 
appointed to keep steadily on the 
ivatch. We cannot otherwise ac- 
count for the use of the particle c in. J 
U Luz. See on Gen. 28. 19. 

24. And the spies saw a man, &c. 
Heb. ' the guards, the watchmen ;' 
implying that there was a stationary 
watch placed in the vicinity of the 
city to observe its movements, to 
note if any came out, and to appre- 
hend them. IT Show us — the en- 
trance into the city. Not the gate, 
the common avenue, which there 
could be no difficulty in finding, but 
some weak point, where an entrance 
could be effected with least danger 
and difficulty. IF We will show thee 
mercy. This confirms the opinion 
that the Israelites might spare the 
lives of sach -Canaanites as either 
submitted to become bondmen and 
renounced idolatry, or emigrated in- 
to other regions, as was the case 
with this individual and his family. 
See on Josh. 11. 19. 

25. And when he shoioed them the en- 
trance, &c. We do not feel prepared 
with Adam Clarke to pronounce the 
conduct of this man ' execrable, 
taken in whatever light we choose,' 
without knowing more of the real 
motives by which he was actuated 
in giving the intelligence he did. It 
is possible he might have done it 



thereof Luz : which is the name 
thereof unto this day. 

27 IT f Neither did Manasseh 
drive out the inhabitants of Beth- 
shean and her towns, nor Taan- 
ach and her towns, nor the in- 
habitants of Dor and her towns, 
nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and 
her towns, nor the inhabitants of 
Megiddo and her towns ; but 
the Canaanites would dwell in 
that land. 

f Josh. 17. 11, 12, !3. 

from the conviction that ' the Lord 
was with them,' and that by his gift 
the land was theirs of right, and then 
the same reasons which justified Ra- 
hab in entertaining those whom she 
knew T to be the enemies of her coun- 
try, but the friends of God, would jus- 
tify him. Yet the fact that he did not, 
when set at liberty, like Rahab, unite 
his interests with the worshippers of 
Jehovah, but retired to his country- 
men in another region, argues 
against him , and leads us rather to 
infer, that he was influenced more 
by fear than by faith in acting the 
part of an informer. In that case 
we are not called to pass judgment 
on his conduct at all, but leave him 
in the hands of Him who knows bet- 
ter than we do how to discriminate 
between the claims of allegiance to 
one's country and of the principle of 
self-preservation. 

26. Went into the land of the Hit- 
tites. Probably some place without 
the bounds of the promised land, per- 
haps in Arabia, where Josephus 
mentions a city called Lussa (Luz). 
Antiq. B. 14. ch. 2. The man him- 
self was perhaps a Hittite, and to 
perpetuate the name of his city, he 
called the new one, which he now 
founded, 1 after the ancient name of 
Bethel. 

27. Neither did Manasseh drive 
out. That is, possess by dispossess- 
ing, the true sense of the original, as 
already remarked, v. 19. On the 
situation of Beth-shean, and the 



A. C. 1425.] 



CHAPTER I. 



197 



28 And. it came to pass when 
Israel was strong, that they put 
the Canaanites to tribute, and 
did not utterly drive them out. 

29 IF ^Neither did Ephraim 
drive out the Canaanites that 
dwelt in Gezer ; but the Ca- 
naanites dwelt in Gezer among 
them. 

30 IT Neither did Zebulun 
drive out the inhabitants of Ki- 
tron, nor the inhabitants of Na- 
halol ; but the Canaanites dwelt 
among them, and became tri- 
butaries. 

31 IF i Neither did Asher drive 
out thelnhabitants of Accho, nor 
the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of 
Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of 
Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of 
Rehob : 

g Josh. 16. 10. 1 Kings 9. 16. h Josh. 19. 15. i Joeb. 

ID, '24—30. 



other towns recited here, see on 
Josh. 17. 11. ^ And her towns. Heb. 
'and her daughters,' i. e. her de- 
pendent places, her adjacent villages. 
tf The Canaanites icould dwell in that 
land. On this remarkable and very 
expressive phraseology, see on Josh. 
17. 12. 

28. When Israel was strong, &c. 
The fact of their ability aggravated 
the crime of their neglect, and it is 
probably with a view to intimate 
this, that the circumstance of their 
becoming strong is mentioned. Thus 
their sin prepared its own punish- 
ment, and the love of present ease 
became the source of perpetual dis- 
quiet in after times. Thus shall we 
ever fare by neglecting present op- 
portunities, through sinful self-in- 
dulgence and failing to bring under 
our enemies when they are in our 
power. See on Josh. 17. 13. 

29. The Canaanites dwelt among 
them. Intimating, perhaps, that they 
allowed them a quiet settlement and 
indulged them the privileges of an 



32 But the Asherites k dwelt 
among the Canaanites, the inha- 
bitants of the land : for they did 
not drive them out. 

33 IF iNeither did Naphtali 
drive out the inhabitants of Beth- 
shemcsh, nor the inhabitants of 
Bethanath ; but he m dwelt among 
the Canaanites, the inhabitants of 
the land : nevertheless, the inha- 
bitants of Beth-shemesh and of 
Beth-anath "became tributaries 
unto them. 

34 And the Amorites forced 
the children of Dan into the 
mountain : for they would not 
suffer them to come down to the 
valley : 

35 But the Amorites would 
dwell in mount Heres °in Aija- 
lon, and in Shaalbim : yet the 

k Ps. 106 31, 35. 1 Josh, 19. 33, m v- 32- n Y< 30. 
o Josh. 19. 42. 

unconquered people, not even mak- 
ing them tributary. 

32. The Asherites dwelt among the 
Canaanites. As it is not usual to say 
of a larger number that it dwells 
among a smaller, the inference in 
regard to Asher and Naphtali is, 
that they expelled comparatively but 
few of the Canaanites, leaving them 
in fact a majority of the population. 
With most of the other tribes, the 
case appears, for a considerable time 
at least, to have been different, See 
on ch. 3. 5. 

34. The Amorites forced the child- 
ren of Dan into the mountain. That 
is, into the mountainous parts of 
their lot. IT Would not suffer them 
to come down to the valley. To the 
lower country, or the plains, proba- 
bly by reason of their iron chariots. 

35. Would dtvell in mount Heres, 
&c. Not content with the posses- 
sion of the valleys, they in three in- 
stances at least made themselves for 
a while masters of the mountains, 
but this portion of them, by the sea- 



198 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1425. 



hand of the house of Joseph pre- 
vailed, so that they became tri- 
butaries. 

36 And the coast of the 
Amorites was pfrom the going 
up to Akrabbim, from the rock, 
and upward. 

pNum 34. 4. Josh. 15.3. 



sonable assistance of the descendants 
of Joseph were checked in their pro- 
gress, confined within narrower lim- 
its, and compelled to pay tribute. 
But the Danites as a whole were 
so pressed and straitened by these 
Amoritish hordes, that they were 
finally induced to enlarge their pos- 
sessions by seeking new quarters in 
a remote part of the land, ch. 18. 1. 
Josh. 19. 47. 

36. And the coast of the Amorites 
was, &c. That is, the territory, the 
country occupied. The scope of this 
verse seems to be to intimate that 
it was not surprising that the Amo- 
rites were such a formidable enemy 
to Israel, when it is considered that 
they were a powerful and numerous 
race, inhabiting a territory that ex- 
tended from the southern limits of 
Canaan (Akrabbim, Josh. 15. 3.) 
and even from beyond the city of the 
Rock (Petra), northwest- ward as far 
as to Mount Heres. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. An angel of the Lord. As the 
word ' angel/ in its primary import, 
is a term of office equivalent to mes- 
senger, the Jews for the most part 
are of the opinion that it here de- 
notes a prophet sent by God as a 
messenger, and that messenger they 
suppose to have been Phineas, the 
high-priest, who was commissioned 
on this occasion to deliver the ensu- 
ing solemn reproof to Israel. This 
is indeed possible, but the more pro- 
bable opinion we take to be, that it 
was neither a human prophet nor a 
created angel, but the Son of God 
himself, he who is so frequently 
styled, in the Scriptures, the ' Angel 
of the covenant.' The evidence of 



CHAPTER II. 
A ND an angel of the Lord 
■^ came up from Gilgal a to Bo- 
chim, and said, I made you to 
go up out of Egypt, and have 
brought you unto the land which 
I sware unto your fathers; and 



this is found in what he immediate- 
ly goes on to say of himself ;— * I 
made you to go up out of Egypt, '&c. 
Who but Jehovah himself could or 
would adopt such language as this 1 
It was not a creature that brought 
the Israelites out of Egypt ; but Je- 
hovah. It was not a creature that 
made a covenant with them; but 
Jehovah. It was not a creature to 
whom they were accountable for 
their disobedience, and whose dis- 
pleasure they had so much reason to 
dread ; but Jehovah. As to the cir- 
cumstance of his being said to { come 
up' from Gilgal, which is supposed 
to militate against this interpreta- 
tion, it rather confirms it; for it was 
in Gilgal, near to Jericho, that this 
same divine person had appeared to 
Joshua as an armed warrior. That 
he was Jehovah cannot be doubted, 
because he suffered Joshua to wor- 
ship him, and even commanded him 
to put off his shoes from his feet, in- 
asmuch as the ground on which he 
stood was, by reason of his presence, 
rendered holy. In his conversation 
with Joshua he had called himself 
the ' Captain of the Lord's host,' and 
therefore there was a particular pro- 
priety in his appearing now to the 
people, to inquire, Why they had not 
carried his orders into effect ? and 
to threaten them that he would fight 
for them no longer. Besides, at Gil- 
gal the people had renewed the or- 
dinance of circumcision and the 
passover, in which they had conse- 
crated themselves to God afresh, and 
engaged to serve him as his redeem- 
ed people. In coming therefore as 
from Gilgal, the Angel upbraided 
them with their base ingratitude, re- 
minded them of their solemn en» 



A. C. 1425.] 



CHAPTER II. 



im 



b I said, I will never break my 
covenant with you. 

2 And c ye shall make no 
league with the inhabitants of 
this land ; d ye shall throw down 
their altars : e but ye have not 

b Gen. 17 7. c Dcut. 7. 2. d Dcut. 12. 3. e ver. 
20. l's. 106. 3-J. 

gagements, and humbled them the 
more for their violation of them. 
IT To Bochim. Heb. ( the weepers.' 
Gr. K\avQixo}vt^ bewailing* ; so called 
by anticipation from the weeping 
and lamentation, v. 8, that took place 
there. Where Bochim was situated 
we are not elsewhere informed, and 
the probability is, that the place was 
in reality no other than Shiloh, where 
the people were now assembled, v. 4, 
on one of their solemn festivals ; for it 
appears, v. 5, that sacrifices were of- 
fered on the occasion, and we know 
that, as a general rule, sacrifices 
were not offered except where the 
tabernacle and altar were fixed, and 
this, at. the present time, was at Shi- 
loh. As to the time when the events 
recorded, v. 1 — 11, took place, it was 
doubtless subsequent to the death of 
Joshua, though the precise date of 
it cannot now be ascertained. If in 
Joshua's time they had been guilty 
of the gross delinquency here laid to 
their charge, he would hardly have 
failed to reprove them for it, or have 
said, Josh. 23. 8, that they had { cleav- 
ed unto the Lord their God unto that 
day.' The reason for the mention 
of Joshua's dismission of the people 
being inserted in this immediate con- 
nection, will be given in our remarks 
on v. 6. IT / said) I will never break 
my covenant. Provided you are true 
and faithful to yours. The first 
breach of covenant shall never be 
laid to my charge. 

2. Ye shall make no league, &c. 
The letter of this passage is too plain 
to need remark, but the spirit of it 
in its application to the Christian Is- 
rael, merits our most serious regard. 
It teaches the danger of indecision 
and supineness in prosecuting our 
Christian warfare. The command 



obeyed my voice : why have ye 
done this? 

3 Wherefore I also said, I 
will not drive them out from be- 
fore you ; but they shall be f as 
thorns in your sides, and stheir 



to every follower of Christ is, to 
make no league with our spiritual 
enemies. Our corrupt affections and 
lusts are not to be spared. It is not 
sufficient to make them pay tribute ; 
we must crucify and slay them ; we 
must show them no mercy ; our hat- 
red of them must be irreconcilable 
and incessant. But, alas ! what is 
too often our state 1 Do we find in 
ourselves this zeal 7 Instead of pro- 
ceeding to the utter extirpation of 
our spiritual enemies, are w r e not sa- 
tisfied if they do not reign 1 Are we 
not contented to let them exist, pro- 
vided they will keep themselves con- 
cealed from public view 7 What 
then is the declaration of God con- 
cerning us7 Does he not warn us 
that the evils which we spare shall 
become as thorns in our sides, and 
prove a snare to our souls 1 And do 
we not find it in our actual experi- 
ence to be sol Do not close con- 
nections and sinful compliances with 
the world lead to disastrous inroads 
upon our peace 1 Does not an ex- 
cessive devotion to the cares of the 
world hinder our upward course, 
and give the adversary an immense 
advantage over us 1 And does not 
the harboring of any besetting sin 
invest it with tenfold force, and often 
pave the way for our being involved 
in some flagrant and scandalous 
transgression 1 Where then is our 
safety but in perpetual resistance, in 
never-ceasing conflict ? 

3. Wherefore I also said. I in- 
wardly purposed and resolved. On 
this sense of the word 'say.' see on 
ch. 22. 33. Or, with several of the 
versions, it may be rendered in the 
present, ' I say", I declare.' IT As 
thorns in your sides. See Num. 
33. 55, Josh. 23. 13, IT Their gods 



200 



JUDGES. 



[A„ C. 1425. 



gods shall be a Nsnare unto 
you. 

4 And it came to pass, when 
the angel of the Lord spake 
these words unto all the children 

h Ex. 23v 33. &34. 12. Dent. 7. 10. Ps. 105. 33. 

shall be a snare unto you. Chald. 
1 their abominations.' They wiJl 
prove an enticement to you, to en- 
tangle you in idolatry and so effect 
your ruin. 

5. The people lifted up their voice 
and wept. For a time, at least, they 
were deeply affected with a sense of 
their transgressions. They lifted 
• up their voice both in confession of 
sin and deprecation of punishment. 
And have we not equal occasion to 
weep, whether we consider our sin 
or oar punishment 7 Is not the spar- 
ing of inveterate lusts as wicked as 
sparing the devoted Canaanites? 
Does it not betray an equal want of 
reverence for God, of love to his 
name, of zeal for his honor'? Let 
us hear^then the voice that proclaims 
our duty ; ' Be afflicted and mourn 
and weep; let your laughter be turn- 
ed into mourning, and your joy into 
heaviness; humble yourselves under 
the mighty hand of God, and he shall 
lift you up.' But while we imitate 
the humiliation of the Israelites on 
this occasion, let us be careful to 
bring forth fruits more meet for re- 
pentance than did they in their sub- 
sequent conduct. For though they 
now showed signs of deep abase- 
ment and sorrow of spirit, yet we do 
not find-, from the ensuing history, 
that any general or permanent re- 
formation took place ; though they 
now relented, they soon relapsed^ 
and involved themselves afresh and 
still more deeply in the guilt of de- 
fection and idolatry. ' Many are 
melted under the word, that harden 
again before they are cast in a new 
mould. 5 Henry. 

5. They sacrificed there unto the 
Lord. They had recourse to the 
blood of sprinkling for the remission 
of their sin. Though their weeping 
was very general and very bitter, so 



of Israel, that the people lifted up 
their voice, and wept. 

6 And they called the name 
of that place Bochitn : and they 
sacrificed there unto the Lord. 



much so as to give a name to the 
place, yet they did not hope to pacify 
their offended God with tears. 
They knew that an atonement was 
necessary, and they therefore sought 
him in his appointed way. Would 
that we might learn from them ! 
Humiliation is necessary, but not 
sufficient. Tears, even if they were 
to flow in rivers, could never wash 
away sin. The blood of atonement 
is indispensable, without which 
there is no remission. Nor should 
the fact be lost sight of here, that the 
sin laid to the charge of Israel was 
not of commission, but of omission ; 
not some flagrant enormity, but a 
lukewarmness and neglect of duty, 
Yet they saw their need of a sacri- 
fice to atone for that. In like man- 
ner, though we should have no guilt 
imputed to us but that of omission 
and defect, yet must we apply to the 
blood of sprinkling, and seek for 
pardon through that one sacrifice 
offered for us upon the cross. Fin- 
ally, let the transaction here record- 
ed teach us the value of a faithful 
monitor. We do not like faithful 
admonitions, even from those whose 
special duty it is to reprove sin. 
We are ready to account them harsh 
and severe. But what is the office 
which a friendly monitor perforins'? 
Is it not that which the Angel of the 
covenant came from heaven to exe- 
cute on this occasion 1 And is it an 
evil, is it not a mercy, even at the 
expense of sounding a terrible alarm 
in the sinner's ears, to show him 
his guilt and danger, to rouse him 
from his security, and to urge him 
to fly to the only ark of safety 1 Cer- 
tain it is, that the congregation of 
Israel must have felt themselves un- 
speakably indebted to him who thus 
sought their welfare ; and equally 
sure are we that there is not a con- 



A. C. 1425.] 



CHAPTER II. 



201 



6 IT And when Joshua had 
let the people go, the children 
of Israel went every man unto 
his inheritance to possess the 
land. 

7 k And the people served the 
Lord all the days of Joshua, and 
all the days of the elders that 
out-lived Joshua, who had seen 
all the great works of the Lord, 
that he did for Israel. 

8 And Joshua the son of 
Nun, the servant of the Lord, 
died, being an hundred and ten 
years old. 



i Josh. 22 6. & 24. 28. 
24. 9. 



trite sinner in the world who will 
not be thankful beyond expression 
to that monitor who has brought 
him to weep here, and thus prevent- 
ed him from weeping and wailing 
and gnashing his teeth in the regions 
of woe for ever. 

6. When Joshua had let the people 
go. This passage, v. 6 — 9, has al- 
ready occurred in nearly the same 
words in Josh. 24. 29 — 31. It seems 
to be repeated here as a suitable pre- 
liminary to the ensuing account of 
their degeneracy and apostacy. 
The angel had foretold that the Ca- 
naan ites and their idols would be a 
snare to Israel. The writer is now 
about to show that this prediction 
was actually fulfilled, and in order 
to that he turns back and takes a 
brief retrospect of some previous in- 
cidents in their history which, by 
contrast, would set the enormity of 
their transgressions in a still more 
striking point of view. This is ac- 
cording to the common usage of the 
sacred writers, who in their nar- 
rations, go more by the relation of 
events to each other, than by their 
strict chronological order. After 
being so happily fixed in their sev- 
eral inheritances and having com- 
menced their settlement in Canaan 
under such favorable auspices, it 
18 



9 m And they buried him in 
the border of his inheritance in 
n Timnath-heres, in the mount of 
Ephraim, on the north side of 
the hill Gaash. 

10 And also all that genera- 
tion were gathered unto their fa- 
thers : and there arose another 
generation after them, which 
°knew not the Lord, nor yet the 
works which he had done for Is- 
rael. 

11 IT And the children of Is. 
rael did evil in the sight of the 
Lord, and served Baalim : 

m Josh. 24. 30. n Josh 19. 50. & 24. 30. o Ex. 
5 2. I Sam. 2. 12. 1 Chr. 28. 9 Jer. 9. 3. & 22. 16. 
Gal. 4. 8. 2 Thess I. 8. Titus 1. 16 



greatly aggravated their sin, that 
they should afterwards have fallen 
away from God, and so grievously 
disappointed the promise which 
their fair beginnings held out. 

7. All the days of the elders that 
out-lived Joshua. Heb. ' that pro- 
longed their days after Joshua.' As 
these elders might some of them 
have lived several years after Josh- 
ua's decease, this term should be de- 
ducted from the whole period of Is- 
raeli idolatries recorded in this 
book. 

9. Buried him — in Timnath-heres. 
This place is called, in Josh. 24. 30, 
1 Tiirmath-ser ah. 1 By transposing 
the letters of the last word, it be- 
comes, as here, ' Heres,' which sig- 
nifies the sun, and it is not improb- 
able, as the Jews imagine, that it 
was so called by reason of some 
memorial, connected with his sepul- 
chre, of the sun's miraculously stand- 
ing still at his command. 

10. Which knew not the Lord. Had 
no practical or experimental knowl- 
edge of Jiim ; no deep or lively im- 
pression of his goodness ; no affec- 
tionate, grateful, or devout sense of 
the wondrous manifestations of his 
power in their behalf. See on Ex. 
1.8. 

11. Served Baalim. This word, 



202 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



12 And they pforsook the 
Lord God of their fathers, which 
brought them out of the land of 
Egypt, and followed bother gods, 
of the gods of the people that 
were round about them, and 
r bo wed themselves unto them, 
and provoked the Lord to anger. 

1*3 And they forsook the 
Lord, E and served Baal and 
Ashtaroth. 

pDeut. 31. 16. qDeut. 6. 11. r Ex. 20. 5. s ch. 
3. 7. & 10. 6. Fs. 1U6. 36. 

the plural of ' Baal,' signifies lords. 
Their false gods the Canaanites 
considered as supernatural rulers or 
governors, each having his peculiar 
district and office. But when they 
wished to express a particular 
1 Baal,' or lord, they usually added 
some distinctive epithet, as Baal- 
zephon, Baal-^r, Baal-zebub, &c. 
The pi. is here used to intimate that 
these imaginary deities were various, 
and that the worship of the Israel- 
ites, like that of the Canaanites, was 
not confined to any one of them. 
Lords many and gods many had 
dominion over them. From this 
verse onwards to the end of the 
chapter, the writer's drift seems to 
be Jo give in brief terms a summary 
or compend of the whole book. It 
is a general and condensed state- 
ment of the leading features of the 
history of Israel, during the period 
of the Judges, which in the ensuing 
chapters is expanded into the various 
details of oppression and deliverance 
which are so briefly touched upon 
in these verses. This is according 
to the common usage of the sacred 
writers, and we have no doubt that 
the more minute is the reader's in- 
spection of the structure of the book, 
the more plausible will this view of 
the subject appear. 

12. And they forsook the Lord God. 
Rather, ' for they forsook,' &c, a 
mere enlargement in its more mi- 
nute particulars of the general fact 
stated in the preceding verse. Chald. 



14 IT *And the anger of the 
Lord was hot against Israel, and 
he "delivered them into the 
hands of spoilers that spoiled 
them, and x he sold them into the 
hands of their enemies round 
about, so that they ycould not 
any longer stand before their en- 
emies- 

15 Whithersoever they went 
out, the hand of the Lord was 

i ch. 3. 8. IV 106. 40, 41, 42. u 2 Kings 17. 20. 
x en. 3. 8. & 4. 2. Ps. 44. 12. Is. 50. 1. y Lev. 
26. 37. Josh. 7. 12, 13. 



1 they forsook the worship of the Lord 
God,' as they that forsake the wor- 
ship of God, do in effect forsake God 
himself. 

13. Served Baal and Ashtaroth. 
Ashtaroth, like Baalim above, is of 
the plural number, and is probably 
here used as a general name for all 
the female deities of these nations, 
as Baal or Baalim is of the male. 
The sing. Ashtereth ( Astarte) is the 
name of the Syrian Venus, who was 
worshipped with the most revolting 
and abominable rites. It is suppos- 
ed that the moon was worshipped 
under this name, as was the sun un- 
der that of Baal. 

14. Into the hands of spoilers. Rob- 
bers, marauders,'plundering parties 
of the Canaanites, who committed 
depredations upon their cattle, flocks, 
crops, &c. The word may also be 
understood in a still fullersense as 
equivalent to oppressors, those who 
captured not their property only, but 
themselves, reducing them to servi- 
tude, or at least compelling them to 
pay tribute. IT Sold them. To sell, 
is to alienate the possession of any 
thing for a valuable consideration. 
The term is used in the Scriptures, 
however, without the annexed idea 
of an equivalent. God is said to 
'sell' his disobedient people, when 
he delivers them up into the hands of 
their enemies to be dealt with as they 
may see fit, when he puts them out of 
his own hand, as it were, withholds 
his protection, and has nothing more 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER II. 



203 



against them for evil, as the 
Lord had said, and z as the Lord 
had sworn unto them : and they 
were greatly distressed. 

16 1T Nevertheless a the Lord 
raised up judges, which deliv- 
ered them out of the hand of 
those that spoiled them. 

17 And yet they would not 
hearken unto their judges, but 
they b went a whoring after other 
gods, and bowed themselves 
unto them : they turned quickly 
out of the way which their fa- 
thers walked in, obeying the 



I Lev. 25. 
12. 11. Acl 



Deut. 23. a ch. 3 9, 10, 15. 1 Sam. 
s 13. 20. b Ex. 34. 15, 16- Lev. 17. 7. 



to do with them as the objects of his 
peculiar protection. It is a term 
therefore emphatically expressive of 
the divine dereliction, the most fear- 
ful judgment in its consequences 
that can befal a nation or an individ- 
ual. Comp eh. 3. 8. 4. 8. Deut. 3*2. 
30. Ps. 44. 13. Is. 50, 1. 

15. Whithersoever they went out. 
Whatsoever they undertook. Heb. 
'in every thing to which they went 
forth.' Not only in their military 
expeditions against their enemies, 
but in whatever undertaking they 
engaged at home, they were still 
baffled and disappointed, and every 
thing went against them. The do- 
ing of any kind of business is fre- 
quently expressed in Hebrew by the 
phrase 'going out' or 'coming in.' 
Thus Deut. 28. 6, ■ Blessed shalt 
thou be when thou earnest in, and 
blessed shalt thou be when thou go- 
est out;' i. e. in all thine undertak- 
ings and employments, in the whole 
course and current of thine affairs. 
Comp. Ps. 121. 8. IT As the Lord 
had said, &c. Particular reference 
is had to Lev. 26. 15—17. Deut. 28. 
25, where these very judgments are 
expressly denounced against them 
in case they should thus apostatize. 

16. The Lord raised up judges. 
That is, by the secret prompting and 



commandments of the Lord ; 
but they did not so. 

13 And when the Lord raised 
them up judges, then c the Lord 
was with the judge, and deliv- 
ered them out of the hand of 
their enemies all the days of the 
judge : ( d for it repented the 
Lord because of their groanings 
by reason of them that oppress- 
ed them and vexed them.) 

19 And it came to pass, 
e when the judge was dead, that 
they returned, and corrupted 
themselves more than their fa- 

c Josh. 1. 5. d See Gen. 6. 6. Deut. 32. 36. P» 
106. 44, 45. e ch. 3. 12. & 4. 1. & 8. 33. 

inspiration, of his spirit, working 
upon the hearts of particular indi- 
viduals in view of the sufferings and 
calamities of the people, and inciting 
them, like Moses in Egypt, to aim at 
effecting their deliverance. This in- 
ward impulse was usually, perhaps 
always, accompanied by an express 
call and command to undertake the 
work, and by some outward desig- 
nation which testified to the people 
the divine election; such for the 
most part as the display of some sig- 
nal act of heroism, the performance 
of some marvellous or miraculous 
exploit, as in the cases of Shamgar, 
Gideon, Samson, &c. On the im- 
port of the word 'judges' in this book, 
see Introduction. 

17. Woutd not hearken unto their 
judges. Would not obey them. IT 
But went, &c. By the covenant en- 
tered into at mount Sinai, Ex. 19. 6, 
the people of Israel were virtually 
married unto God, so that every in- 
stance of idolatry was a breach of 

I that solemn compact. The worship 
! of idols was accounted and spoken 
of. as spiritual adultery, and from 
the nature of the rites accompany- 
ing these idolatrous practices the 
term was often more than metaphor- 
ically proper. 

18, It repented the Lord. He alter- 



204 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1405. 



thers, in following other gods to 
serve them, and to bow down 
unto them ; they ceased not 
from their own doings, nor from 
their stubborn way. 

20 H f And the anger of the 
Lord was hot against Israel ; 
and he said, Because that this 
people hath e transgressed my 
covenant which I commanded 
their fathers, and have not heark- 
ened unto my voice ; 

21 h I also will not henceforth 

f ver 14. g Josh. 23. 18. fa Josh. 23. 13. 



ed the course of his providence, act- 
ed as if he repented. See on Gen. 6. 
6, 7. Deut. 32. 36. 

19. They ceased not from their 
own doings. Heb. ' they let nothing 
fall from their doings.' They abat- 
ed, they relaxed nothing of their 
evil practices. IT Nor from their 
stubborn way. Heb. 'their hard 
way.' Hard, as proceeding from a 
hard and perverse heart ; hard, in the 
sense of being stubbornly persisted 
in ; and hard or grievous in its con- 
sequences. It is the term applied to 
the obstinate and intractable conduct 
of Pharaoh. 

20. And the anger of the Lord was 
kindled, &c. From this verse to the 
end of the chapter, the narrative is 
probably to be considered merely as 
a repetition in substance of what is 
affirmed by the Angel, v. 1 — 3. It 
is a more full and detailed statement 
of the reasons for the foregoing ap- 
pearance of the divine messenger, 
threatening therewith the judgments 
of heaven for their disobedience. 
Nothing is more common than such 
transpositions in the order of the in- 
spired record. The effect is first 
mentioned, and the cause afterwards. 

21. Will not henceforth drive out, 
&c. I will not while you continue 
in your stubborn way. The pro- 
mises of God to expel the Canaanites 
were upon condition of their obedi- 
ence. 

22. That through them Imay prove 



drive out any from before them 
of the nations which Joshua left 
when he died : 

22 iThat through them I may 
k prove Israel, whether they will 
keep the way of the Lord to 
walk therein, as their fathers 
did keep it, or not. 

23 Therefore the Lord left 
those nations, without driving 
them out hastily, neither deliv- 
ered he them into the hand of 
Joshua. 

i ch. 3. 1, 4. k Deut. 8. 2, 1G. & 13. 3. 

Israel. Not for his own satisfaction, 
but that they themselves might be 
made better acquainted with the 
plague of their own hearts, and that 
the righteous judgments of God 
might thus approve themselves to 
the consciences of all who should 
either experience, or witness, or 
hear of them. The Most Higli uf- 
ten orders his providence on the 
principle of a father or master who 
distrusts the fidelity of his son or 
servant, and places them in such cir- 
cumstances that they may, by their 
good or evil conduct, justify his sus- 
picions, or give him proofs of their 
being groundless. It is implied, 
however, that these nations in case 
the Israelites stood not the test, 
should be not only trials or ordeals 
to them, but also scourges and instru- 
ments of wrath . . IT As their fathers 
did keep it. That is, those who lived 
in the days of Joshua, and the elders 
who overlived him. 

23. Therefore the Lord left, &c. 
Or, Heb. ' suffered.' It is not to be 
understood that there was any abso- 
lute necessity for this delay in expell- 
ing the Canaanites, but as God fore- 
saw the remissness of his people in 
accomplishing this work, he saw fit 
in his providence to overrule it to a 
wise and useful result. In like man- 
ner he overrules the wickedness of 
all the wicked in the universe, and 
causes it to redound to the good of 
the whole and his own glory. 



A. C. 



1406.] 



CHAPTERIIL 



205 



CHAPTER III. 

TYfOW these are a the nations 
^ which the Lord left, to 
prove Israel by them, (even as 
many of Israel as had not 
known all the wars of Canaan ; 
2 Only that the generations 
of the children of Israel might 
know to teach them war, at the 



ach. 2. 21, 22. 



CHAPTER III. 
1. Now these are the nations, &c. 
The nations left to prove the Israel- 
ites were the five lordships or satra- 
pies of the Philistines, who gave 
them more trouble than any of the 
rest — particularly in the latter days 
of the judges — the Sidonians, Ca- 
naan ites, and the Hivites that dwelt 
about Mount Lebanon. HAs many 
— as had not known, &c. These 
words and those of the ensuing verse, 
included together in the parenthesis, 
however obvious a sense they seem 
to present to the English reader, are 
by no means so easy of explication 
when we turn to the original. The 
first and perhaps most natural im- 
pression as to their meaning is, that 
they are designed to acquaint us 
with another reason which God had 
for leaving these nations in the land, 
beside that of proving Israel, viz. 
that their posterity might not forget 
military discipline, but keep them- 
selves habituated to those warlike 
practices which would be necessary 
for their protection. This effect 
would be secured by the constant 
. presence of an enemy, and therefore 
God left a remnant of the devoted 
nations to prevent his people grow- 
ing rusty, if we may so say, in the 
use of arms. This we are not pre- 
pared to term an erroneous construc- 
tion, but quite sure we are that it is 
an inadequate one. The term ■ to 
know,' must in fairness be interpret- 
ed according to its usual Scriptural 
import, which is to have not merely 
an intellectual but an experimental 
knowledge of any thing. By those 
therefore who 'had not known all 
18* 



least such as before knew no- 
thing thereof;) 

3 Namely, b flve lords of the 
Philistines, and all the Canaan- 
ites, and the Sidonians, and the 
Hivites that dwelt in mount Le- 
banon, from mount Baal-hermon 
unto the entering in of Hamath. 

4 c And they were to prove 



the wars of Canaan,' we understand 
those who had not with confiding 
faith, with lively zeal, and from a 
prompt and grateful spirit of obedi- 
ence, entered into and persevered in 
those conflicts with the Canaanites 
which God had enjoined. As they 
had grossly failed in their duty in 
this respect , and had not ' known 1 
these wars as they should have done, 
their children, according to the 
righteous economy of Providence, 
were appointed to reap the bitter 
fruits of their neglect. They were 
to know to their cost, to be taught by 
sad experience, the trouble, vexa- 
tion, and annoyance that should 
come upon the successive genera- 
tions descended from those who, by 
their culpable remissness, had so 
righteously incurred this afflictive 
judgment. This we suppose to be 
the true import of the original, to 
which no translation can do full jus- 
tice. But we may learn from it that 
the neglect of one generation to dis- 
charge its appropriate duties, never 
fails to burden their successors with 
the penalty of their remissness. 

3. Five lords. Five lordships, 
principalities, or satrapies, as it is 
rendered by the Seventy. See on 
Josh. 13. 3. H All the Canaanites 
andthe Zido?iians > &c. Rather, 'all 
the Canaanites, even the Zidonians,' 
&c. That portion of the Canaanites 
seems to be intended who are other- 
wise styled Phoenicians, whose capi- 
tal city w r as Zidon, so called from 
Sidon the son of Canaan, Gen. 10. 
15, and who were never entirely 
subdued by the Israelites. IF From 
mount Baal-Hermon. A part of 



206 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



Israel by them, to know wheth- 
er they would hearken unto the 
commandments of the Lord, 
which he commanded their fa- 
thers by the hand of Moses. 

5 II d And the children of Is- 
rael dwelt among the Canaan- 
ites, Hittites, and Amorites, and 
Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jeb- 
usites : 

d Ps. 106. 35. 

Antilibanus, lying near the sources 
of the Jordan. 

4. And they were to prove Israel. 
Heb. ' and they were made to be for 
a trial or proof of Israel ;' expressive 
not so strictly of the design of their 
being left, which is stated v. 1, as of 
the actual event. The result corres- 
ponded with the divine prescience 
and purposes. ' God in his revealed 
will had commanded (doomed) the 
Canaanites to slaughter, yet secretly 
gives over Israel to a toleration of 
some Canaanites, for their own pun- 
ishment. He hath bidden us cleanse 
our hearts of all our corruptions; 
yet he will permit some of these 
thorns still in our sides for exercise, 
for humiliation. If we could lay 
violent hands on our sins, our souls 
should have peace; now our indul- 
gence costs us many stripes and 
many tears.' By. Hall. IT To know. 
That is, to make known, to afford to 
themselves and others experimental 
proof. God himself of course could 
stand in no need of such a process 
to ascertain the truth. See on Deut. 
8.2, 

5. Dwelt among the Canaanites. 
Evidently implying that, contrary to 
the command of God, they suffered 
these nations to remain a majority 
in point of numbers, as otherwise 
they could not properly be said to 
dwell among them. See on ch. 1. 32. 

6. Took their daughters — and serv- 
ed their gods. Chal. ' worshipped 
their errors (idols).' The cause and 
the effect brought into immediate 
connection, in exact accordance with 



6 And Uhey took their 
daughters to be their wives, and 
gave their daughters to their 
sons, and served their gods. 

7 f And the children of Israel 
did evil in the sight of the Lord, 
and forgat the Lord their God, 
sand served Baalim, and h the 
groves. 

8 IF Therefore the anger of 

e Ex. 34. 16. Deut. 7. 3. f ch. 2. 11. g ch. 2. 13. 
h Ex. £4 13. Deut. 16. 21. ch. 6. 25. 

what had been long before announc- 
ed, Deut. 7. 3, 4, ' Neither shalt thou 
make marriages with them; thy 
daughter thou shalt not give unto 
his son, nor his daughter shalt thou 
take unto thy son. For they will 
turn away thy son from following 
me, that they may serve other gods ; 
so will the anger of the Lord be 
kindled,' &c. ' In such unequal 
matches there is more reason to fear 
that the bad will corrupt the good, 
than to hope the good will reform 
the bad.' Henry. 

7. Served Baalim and the groves. 
Not the groves themselves, but the 
grove-gods, the images or idols 
which were set up in shady groves 
consecrated to their worship. Gese- 
nius however on the original word 
m*)E:& Asherolh, contends with 
much plausibility that it is a proper 
name closely related to Ashtaroth, 
and sigrifies the statues of Astarfe, 
the Syrian Venus or goddess of For- 
tune, one of the most noted of the 
Phoenician deities. This is confirm- 
ed by nearly all the ancient ver- 
sions. The rendering ' groves' orig- 
nated with the Greek Septuagint, 
probably from the fact of their vota- 
ries worshipping those images in 
such retired places. From this source 
the signification of groves has crept 
into most lexicons and commen- 
taries of modern times. IT Forgat 
the Lord their God. ' In complais- 
ance to their new relations, they 
talked of nothing but Baalim and 
the groves, so that by degrees they 
lost the remembrance of the true 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER III. 



207 



the Lord was hot against Israel, 
and he * sold them into the hand 
of k Chushan-rislmthaim king of 
Mesopotamia : and the children 
of Israel served Chushan-risha- 
thaim eight years. 

9 And when the children of 
Israel icried unto the Lord, the 

i ch. 2. 14. k Hah. 3 7. 1 ver. 15. & ch. 4 3. 
k 6. 7 & 10. 10. 1 Sain. 12. 10. Neh. 9. 27. Ps. 22. 
6. & 106. 44. & 107. 13, 19. 



Lord ■ raised up a deliverer to 
the children of Israel, who de- 
livered them, even "Othniel the 
son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger 
brother. 

10 And °the spirit of the 
Lord came upon him, and he 
judged Israel, and went out to 

m ch. 2. 16. n ch. 1. 13. o See Num. 27. 18. 

ch. 6. 34. & 11. 29. & 13. 25. & 14. 6, 19. 1 Sam. 11. 
6. 2Chr. 15 1. 



God ; and forgot that there was such 
a being, and what obligations they 
lay under to him. In nothing is the 
corrupt memory of man more treach- 
erous than in this, that it is apt to 
forget God; because he is out of 
sight, he is out of mind ; and here 
begins all the wickedness that is in 
the world; they have 'perverted 
their way,' for they have ' forgotten 
the Lord their God.' Henry. 

8. Sold them into the hand. Deli- 
vered them into the hand. See this 
phrase explained, ch. 2. 14. 

9. Chushan-rishathaim. Render- 
ed by most of the ancient versions 
Chushan, the wicked or impious ; pro- 
perly the doubly, i. e. pre-eminently 
wicked. The grounds of the appel- 
lation, supposing this to be correct, 
it is now impossible to determine. 
^Mesopotamia. Heb. Aram-Naha- 
raim, Syria of the two rivers, i. e. the 
country lying between the rivers 
Tigris and Euphrates, thence called 
Mesopotamia, which signifies the 
midst of rivers. See on Gen. 24. 10. 
It is now called Diarbek. IT Served. 
This servitude, as applied to the 
state of subjection to which the Is- 
raelites were oftentimes reduced, 
must be understood with some vari- 
ation of meaning according to cir- 
cumstances ; but generally it signi- 
fies the obligation to pay tribute and 
make presents to the conqueror. 
That they were obliged to render 
personal or military service does 
not appear from the Scriptures; but 
that they were sometimes subject to 
the most severe and cruel treatment 
is obvious from the whole history. 



It is very probable, that their subjec- 
tion to this distant king was more 
favorable than to the immediately 
neighboring nations, and even to 
nations dwelling in the same land 
with themselves, to which they were 
afterwards reduced. 

9. When the children of Israel 
cried. When they uttered fervent 
prayers coupled with penitent con- 
fessions of their faults, as is to be in- 
ferred from ch. 10. 10, and 15. 16. 
IT Raised up a deliverer. Heb. { a 
saviour.' So afterwards, ' who de- 
livered,' Heb, ' and saved;' which is 
more properly we think to be refer- 
red to God than to Othniel. God 
saved or delivered them by Othniel. 

1 Saviour,' in this connection, is but 
another name for the 'judges,' who 
were raised up from time to time for 
the deliverance of Israel. Comp. 

2 Kings 13. 5. Neh. 9. 27. The 
original for ' raised up,' properly 
signifies stirred up, excited, prompted, 
in consequence of a special divine 
influence exerted upon the indivi- 
dual. The phrase is in fact explain- 
ed by the terms employed in the be- 
ginning of the next verse. 9 Oth~ 
niel the son of Kenaz. Of whom see 
Josh, 15. 16, and Judg. 1. 13. He 
had already signalized his valor in 
the taking of Kirjath-sepher and by 
his experience in war, and the re- 
putation he had gained with his 
countrymen, was peculiarly qua- 
lified to lead them successfully 
against their oppressors. 

10. The spirit of the Lord came 
upon him. Heb. ' was, or was made 
to be, upon him.* A common ex- 



208 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



war : and the Lord delivered 
Chushan-rishathaim king of Mes- 
opotamia into his hand; and 
his hand prevailed against Chu- 
shan-rishathaim. 

11 And the land had rest 
forty years : and Othniel the son 
of Kenaz died. 



pression for one's being moved, act- 
ed upon, and impelled by supernatu- 
ral influence to perform some extra- 
ordinary exploit, or to take the lead 
in some great and important enter- 
prise. Chald. ' the spirit of prophecy 
remained upon him.' The expres- 
sion implies that he was endowed 
with singular wisdom, fortitude and 
valor adapting him to the work to 
which he was called. IT He judged 
Israel. That is, he not only assum- 
ed the office of chief magistrate and 
entered upon the work of reforming 
their manners, repressing idolatry, 
administering justice, and reviving 
religion, but also, as appears from 
the ensuing clause, put himself at 
the head of their forces, and in this 
capacity pleaded and avenged the 
cause of Israel against their oppres- 
ses. Thus the term is employed 
Ps. 43. 1, 'Judge me, O God, and 
plead my cause against an ungodly 
nation :' i. e. judge me by pleading 
my cause, by vindicating me from 
the aspersions and delivering me 
from persecutions of my enemies. 
Comp. Deut. 32. 36. Ps. 10. 18. 

11. The land had rest forty years. 
Enjoyed prevailing peace, was ex- 
empt from tribute, and was in every 
respect in a tranquil and flourishing 
state, during that period. The forty 
years are perhaps to be dated from 
Othniel's being raised up to judge 
Israel. IT And Othniel — died. \ Oth- 
niel had rescued Israel from idolatry 
and servitude ; his life and their in- 
nocence and peace ended together. 
How powerful the presence of one 
good man is in a church or state, is 
best found in his loss.' Bp. Hall. 
An attentive examination of the 



12 IT pAnd the children of Is- 
rael did evil again in the sight 
of the Lord : and the Lord 
strengthened ^Eglon the king of 
Moab against Israel, because 
they had done evil in the sight 
of the Lord. 

IS And he gathered unto him 

p ch. 2 19. ql Sam. 12. 9. 

chronology of this book, makes it all 
but absolutely certain that it is some- 
where near to this period that we 
are to refer the idolatry of the Dan- 
ites and the war with the Benjamites, 
mentioned ch. 17 — 21. Though, for 
the reasons stated in our Introduc- 
tion, thrown together at the end 
of the book, yet the events no 
doubt took place either under or be- 
fore Othniel's administration, who, 
though a judge, was not, as Henry 
remarks, such a king in Israel as to 
keep men from doing what was 
' right in their own eyes.' 

12. The Lord strengthened Eglon. 
Allowed him to become strong, suf- 
fered his providence to take such a 
course as would result in his becom- 
ing too powerful for the Israelites. 
It was not by positive agency, but by 
sovereign permission, that this re- 
sult took place. The course of God's 
providence often favors the designs 
of his enemies, and they take advan- 
tage of it, while the effect, in Scrip- 
ture style, is attributed to God him- 
self; but it is only as we should say 
that God delivered a vessel, with all 
on board, into the hands of a pirate, 
because he caused the wind to blow 
in a particular direction, of which 
the pirate, took advantage, and cap- 
tured the vessel. The phraseology 
is liable to no just objection when 
rightly understood, and affords a 
clue to the explanation of hundreds 
of passages in the sacred volume. 
' Rather than Israel shall want a 
scourge for their sin, God himself - 
shall raise them up an enemy. Mo- 
ab had no quarrel but his own ambi- 
tion ; but God meant by the ambition 
of the one party, to punish the am- 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER III. 



209 



the children of Amnion and 
r Amalek, and went and smote 
Israel, and possessed nhe city of 
palm-trees. 

14 So the children of Israel 

r ch. 5. 14 s ch. I. 15. 



bition of the other ; his justice can 
make one sin the executioner of an- 
other, while neither shall look for 
any measure from him but judg- 
ment.' Bp Hall. 

13. And he gathered. That is, 
God gathered; in the sense above 
explained. He gathered, by allow- 
ing Eglon to gather, the forces of 
these neighboring tribes, who were 
predisposed by ancient enmity to en- 
ter into the alliance. IT Possessed 
the city of palm-trees. Jericho, or 
rather the~ site of Jericho, with the 
adjacent territory, as the city itself 
was in ruins. On this site, Eglon 
probably pitched his camp, erected 
fortifications, and, if Josephus be 
correct, fixed here his residence. 
His object was undoubtedly to obtain 
command of ihe foras of ihe Jordan, 
which would not only open to him 
a free communication with the land 
of Moab, but prevent also the tribes 
on the east and the west of the river 
forming a junction of forces. Ac- 
cordingly the first step taken by 
Ehud, when assured of victory, v. 28, 
was to take possession of these fords, 
and thus cut off the retreat of the 
enemy. 

14. The children sf Israel served 
Eglon eighteen years. ' Israel seems 
as born to servitude ; they came from 
their bondage in the land of Egypt, 
to serve in the land of promise. 
They had neglected God, now they 
were neglected of God ; their sins 
had made them servants, whom the 
choice of God had made free, yea, 
his first-born. Worthy are they to 
serve those men whose false gods 
they had served ; and to serve them 
always in thraldom, whom they 
have once served in idolatry. We 
may not measure the continuance 
of punishment by the time of the 
commission of sin ; one minute's sin 



^served Eglon the king of Moab 
eighteen years. 

15 But when the children of 
Israel "cried unto the Lord, the 
Lord raised them up a deliv- 

t Den. 58. 40. u ver. 9. Ps. 78. 34. 

deserves a torment beyond all time.' 
Bp. Hall. 

15. Cried unto the Lord. With 
strong and earnest supplications. 
' Doubtless Israel was not so insen- 
sible of their own misery, as not to 
complain sooner than the end of 
eighteen years. The first hour they 
sighed for themselves, but now they 
cried unto God. The very purpose 
of affliction is to make us importu- 
nate ; he hears the secret murmurs 
of our grief, yet will not seem to 
hear us, till our cries be loud and 
strong. God sees it best for the peni- 
tent to dwell for the time under their 
sorrows ; he sees us sinking all the 
while, yet he lets us alone till we be 
at the bottom; and when once we 
can say, ' Out of the depths have I 
cried unto thee,' instantly follows, 
1 The Lord heard me.' A vehement 
suitor cannot but be heard of God, 
whatsoever he asks. If our prayers 
want success, they want heart ; their 
blessing is according to their vigor.' 
Bp. Hall. IT A man left-handed. 

Heb. ' a man shut or obstructed of 
his right hand;' i. e. not able readily 
to use it. Chal. 'contracted or im- 
peded in his right hand.' Syr. ' a 
man whose right hand was torpid.' 
The Septuagint renders it an ambi- 
dexter, i. e. one who could use both 
hands alike ; from which the Vul- 
gate, ' who could use either hand as 
a right hand,' for neither of which 
is there any authority in the orignal. 
The true import of the Heb. un- 
doubtedly is, that through disease, 
injury, or some other infirmity, he 
made little or no use of his right 
hand, but employed his left only, a 
circumstance which would seem to 
render him less fit for war, as he 
must necessarily use his sword some- 
what awkwardly. ' Yet God chose 
this left-handed man to be the man 



210 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1336 



erer, Ehud the son of Gera, a 
Benjamite, a man left-handed : 
and by him the children of Is- 
rael sent a present unto Eglon 
the king of Moab. 

16 But Ehud made him a 
dagger which had two edges, of 
a cubit length : and he did gird 
it -under his raiment upon his 
right thigh. 



of his right hand, whom he would 
1 make strong for himself.' It was 
God's right hand that gained Israel 
the victory, (Ps. 44. 3,) not the right 
hand of the instruments he employ- 
ed.' Henri/. It is remarkable that 
although the name ' Benjamin,' sig- 
nifies the son of the right hand, )^et 
as appears, from ch, 20. 16, multi- 
titudes of this tribe were from some 
cause or other left-handed; so far 
are men's characters oftentimes from 
corresponding with their names. U 
Sent a present. Either the tribute- 
money which Eglon had imposed up- 
on the Israelites, or a gratuity over 
and above their ordinary tribute, 
sent to conciliate the favor of the 
lord of Moab, their present master. 
The former we suppose to be the 
most probable interpretation, as the 
original, Mincha, repeatedly occurs 
in this sense. Similar exactions on 
the part of the despotic rulers of the 
East continue to be levied upon sub- 
ject provinces to the present day, 
and it is well known that their exor- 
bitant demands of this kind are 
among the principal causes of the 
impoverished state of the oriental 
nations, and of the frequent insur- 
rections that occur among them. It 
is possible that Eglon's oppressions 
in this way had become so grievous 
to the Israelites, that they could bear 
them no longer, and accordingly in 
their distress groaned out to God for 
deliverance. 

16. Ehudmade him a dagger. Caus- 
ed to be made ; just as Joshua, ch. 5. 
3, is said to have ' made him sharp 
knives,' that is, by the ministry of 



17 And he brought the pre- 
sent unto Eglon king of Moab : 
and Eglon was a very fat man. 

18 And when he had made 
an end to offer the present, he 
sent away the people that bare 
the present. 

19 But he himself turned 
again x from the quarries that 
were by Gilgal, and said, I have 



others. IT Of a cubit length. The 
original word (^jfas gomed) here 
rendered cubit, is of very doubtful 
signification. As the kindred root in 
Chald. has the import of contracted, 
Miehselis suggests that it probably 
means an instrument made shorter 
than usual for the purpose intended. 
The Sept. renders it 'of a span 
length,' and most of the versions un- 
derstand it in the same sense. A 
Jewish cubit is nearly two feet ; a 
span is about eight inches, a much 
more convenient length for a poni- 
ard or stiletto, which would un- 
doubtedly have been the modern 
name of Ehud's instrument. It Up- 
on his right thigh. Whence it could 
be more easily drawn forth by his 
left hand. 

18. Made an end to offer. When 
he had ended all the ceremonies 
which in those days were customary 
in presenting gifts to great men. 
TT The people that bare the present, A 
considerable number of persons 
seems to have been employed on this 
occasion, not so much because the 
quantity or variety of the presents 
required it, as for the sake of eti- 
quette and a somewhat pompous dis- 
play. The Orientals habitually af- 
fect a great parade in presenting 
their gifts, especially to persons of 
power and distinction. ' Through 
ostentation,' says Maillet, ' they 
never fail to load upon four or five, 
horses what might easily be carried 
on one. In like manner as to jew- 
els, trinkets, and other things of 
value, they place in fifteen dishes, 
what a single plate would very well 



A. C. 1336.] 



CHAPTER III. 



211 



a secret errand unto thee, O 
king : who said, Keep silence. 
And all that stood by him went 
out from him. 

hold.' It appears evident from the 
next verse that Ehud accompanied 
this party some distance on their 
way homewards and then returned 
himself alone to execute, without 
accomplices, the deed which he 
meditated, and to which he was pro- 
bably impelled by a divine prompt- 
ing. 

19. From the quarries. Heb. 
E^iOE pesilim, from the root ^qe to 
cut out, or carve, as a sculptor, 
whence several of the ancient ver- 
sions understand the word of idols 
or graven images, by which it is 
generally rendered. It was perhaps 
the place where idolatrous statues 
of stone were cut out of the quarry 
and erected as objects of worship by 
the Moabites. This might have 
been done in contempt of the reli- 
gion and worship of the Israelites, 
and the sight of them may have 
stirred up afresh the pious indigna- 
tion of Ehud, and animated him 
with new zeal to accomplish the 
work upon which he was intent. 
ir I have a secret errand. Heb. 'a 
word or thing of concealment, of 
secrecy.' IT Who said, Keep silence. 
This is generally understood as 
addressed to Ehud, intimating that 
he was to keep silent, and not de- 
clare his message till the king's at- 
tendants had withdrawn. But a 
preferable sense we think is that 
given by Geddes in his translation, 
1 The king said, Privacy !' which 
was equivalent to a command to his 
servants to leave the room. This is 
confirmed by the Chal., Syr., and 
Arab, versions, and also by the con- 
nection, as the next clause evi- 
dently expresses the performance of 
a command. 

20. Sitting in a summer parlor. 
Heb. ' in an upper room or chamber 
of cooling.' The extreme heat of 
the climate obliged the Orientals to 
adopt various devices for ventilating 



20 And Ehud came unto 
him ; and he was sitting in a 
summer-parlor, which he had 
for himself alone : and Ehud 



and cooling their apartments. For 
this purpose they made their doors 
large, and their chambers spacious j 
but they soon found that such simple 
contrivances were insufficient and 
that other methods of cooling their 
habitations were necessary. At 
Aleppo, according to Russel, this 
was effected by means of kiosks, 
which are a sort of wooden divans 
or stages, which project a little way 
from their other buildings, and hang 
over the street. They are raised 
about a foot and a half higher than 
the floor of the room, to which they 
are quite open, and by having win- 
dows in front and on each side, a 
great draught of air is produced, 
causing a refreshing coolness in the 
sultry heat of summer. Another 
method of compassing the same end 
is by ventilators. The houses in 
Persia are ventilated by means of a 
triangular building which rises far 
above the terrace roof, and is open 
at top, so as to receive the wind in 
whatever direction it blows. The 
summer parlor of Eglon was un- 
doubtedly cooled by some of these 
contrivances, which proves that ex- 
pedients for mitigating the extreme 
heat of the climate are of very great 
antiquity. II Which he had for 
himself alone. Into which he went 
when he wished to be retired, and so 
better adapted to hearing a secret 
message. The circumstance is pro- 
bably mentioned here by way of ac- 
counting for his servants' waiting so 
long, v. 23, before going in to him. 
From a circumstance mentioned by 
Mr. Bruce, it appears that Ehud 
acted in strict conformity to the cus- 
toms of the time and place, so that 
neither the suspicion of the king nor 
his attendants should be excited by 
his conduct. It was usual for the 
attendants to retire when secret mes- 
sages were to be delivered. { I 
drank a dish of coffee,' says he, ' and 



212 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1336. 



said, I have a message from God 
unto thee. And he arose out of 
his seat. 

21 And Ehud put forth his 



told him, that I was a bearer of a 
confidential message from Ali Bey 
of Cairo, and wished to deliver it to 
him without witnesses, whenever he 
pleased. The room was accord- 
ingly cleared without delay, except- 
ing his secretary, who was also go- 
ing away, when I pulled him back 
by the clothes, saying, stay, if you 
please ; we shall need you to write 
the answer.' IT 1" have a message 
from God unto thee. A message to 
be delivered not in word, but by 
action. The Hebrew signifies a 
thing, a business, an affair, as well 
as a word. The message was on the 
point of Ehud's dagger. The ori- 
ginal for ' God' moreover is a term 
common both to the true God and 
the supposed deities of the heathen, 
so thatEglon, as an idolater, might 
have understood it in a very differ- 
ent sense from that intended by 
Ehud. Yet we think it most prob- 
able on the whole that he would un- 
derstand Ehud, an Israelite, as 
speaking of the God of Israel, and 
that a general feeling of reverence 
inspired by the mention of the deity 
or the powers above, even though his 
conceptions of such a power were 
very vague, was sufficient to prompt 
him to pay a serious attention to 
what was professedly uttered in his 
name. IT And he arose from his 
seat. Thus paying a becoming re- 
spect to a divine communication. 
1 Though a king, though a heathen 
king, though rich and powerful, 
though now tyrannizing over the 
people of God, though a fat, un wield- 
ly man that could not easily rise nor 
stand long, yet when he expected to 
receive orders from heaven, he rose 
out of his seat, and whether it was 
low and easy, or high and stately, 
he quitted it, and stood up when 
God was about to speak to him, 
thereby owning God his Superior. 
This shames the irreverence of 



left hand, and took the dagger 
from his right thigh, and thrust 
it into his belly : 

22 And the haft also went in 

many who are called Christians, 
and yet w T hen a message from God 
is delivered to them study to show 
by all marks of carelessness how 
little they regard it.' Henry. His 
rising also gave Ehud a favorable 
opportunity of striking the fatal 
blow. 

21. Took the dagger — and thrust 
it, &c. A correct estimate of the 
moral character of this bold deed of 
Ehud can only be formed by settling 
the previous question, whether in 
performing it he was acting under a 
divine commission, or prompted 
merely by a self-moved impulse of 
patriotism to free his country from 
the yoke of a usurper and a tyrant. 
If the latter were the fact, we have 
no disposition to justify the course 
adopted by Ehud, although it may be 
plausibly maintained to be accord- 
ing to the acknowledged right of na- 
ture and of nations for subjects to 
free themselves from bondage and 
restore liberty to a country unjustly 
enslaved by taking the life of their 
oppressor. Most nations, both in an- 
cient and modern times, that have 
recovered themselves from political 
thraldom have taken this course, 
and apparently with the approbation 
of the great mass of mankind. At 
any rate, the objection, against this 
act of Ehud" as a base assassination, 
comes with an ill grace from those 
who admire and eulogize the con- 
duct of Brutus in stabbing Caesar in 
the senate-house, on the plea of rid- 
ding his country of a tyrant. But 
the deed of Ehud is doubtless to be 
vindicated on other grounds. There 
is every reason, we think, to look 
upon him as moved to this underta- 
king by an impulse from above. It 
is expressly said v. 15, that God 
raised him up as a saviour to the 
country, and how could he save his 
country but by crushing the power 
which held it in subjection ? Again, 



CHAPTER III. 



A. C. 1336.] 

after the blade : and the fat 
closed upon the blade, so that 
he could not draw the dagger 
out of his belly ; and the dirt 
came out. 

23 Then Ehud went forth 

we are brought to the same conclu- 
sion by considering the peculiar cir- 
cumstances under which the deed 
was accomplished. In view of the 
dangers attending it, what but the 
confidence of being divinely directed 
could have induced him, afcer dis- 
missing his attendants at Gilgal, to 
return alone and attempt the execu- 
tion of his purpose 1 How could he 
otherwise presume to think that he, 
a single person, and disabled in his 
right hand could reach the heart of 
the king amidst the circle of his offi- 
cers and guards -1 How could he ex- 
pect, enemy as he was, to be admit- 
ted to a private interview % And if 
admitted, how could he have looked 
for an incident so favorable to his 
object as the king's ordering all the 
company to leave the room 1 And 
then should he succeed in dispatch- 
ing the king, what prospect had he 
of effecting his escape 1 — and yet, 
should he fail to escape, the whole 
enterprise, as far as the deliverance 
of his country was concerned, would 
have baen abortive. We cannot 
therefore resist the evidence arising 
from these considerations that Ehud 
acted in this matter in virtue of a 
commission from God, who saw fit 
thus to punish the oppressor of his 
people after having first made use of 
him for their correction. He would 
of course know that the prompting 
to the act was of God by the Spirit 
that came upon him, the impulses of 
which carried their own evidence 
along with them, and so ga,ve him 
full assurance at once of the lawful- 
ness and the success of the attempt, 
of both which he would otherwise 
have had the utmost reason to doubt. 
1 If he be sure that God bids him do 
it, he is sure both that he may do it, 
and that he shall do it ; for a com- 
19 



2x3 



through the porch, and shut the 
doors of the parlor upon him, 
and locked them. 

24 When he was gone out, 
his servants came ; and when 
they saw that, behold, the doors 



mand from God is sufficient to bear 
us out, and to bring us ofi°, both 
against our consciences and against 
all the world.' Henry. It is not 
however to be imagined that Ehud's 
conduct is to be followed as a prece- 
dent ; for no man can dare to follow 
it unless he have infallible evidence 
that he is called of God to do it ; but 
as no man can expect such a call 
at this time, no man can without the 
deepest criminality presume to im- 
itate his example. 

22. And the dirt came out. Ac- 
cording to some, ' and it (the blade) 
went out behind.' The obscurity of 
the original renders it difficult to 
affix any determinate sense to the 
words. 

23. Ehud went forth, &c. By a 
remarkable providence, Eglon fell 
silently without uttering any shriek 
or outcry, which might have been 
overheard by his servants at a dis- 
tance. His dying groans seem to 
have been stifled in his own fat, and 
thus the escape of his executioner 
was signally favored. Ehud accord- 
ingly walked forth shutting and 
locking the doors, and probably ta- 
king the key with him, with such an 
air of composure and innocence as 
gave no ground of suspicion, to any 
of the guards that he might have 
passed, of what had taken place 
within. His calm and sedate de- 
meanor under such trying circum- 

| stances is to be resolved into that 
; strong confidence in God, by which 
I he was actuated in executing the 
| commission. 

24. He cover cth his feet. This ap- 
pears to have been an idiomalic and 
colloquial form of expression for 
laying down to sleep. When this 
was done they dropped their slip- 
pers, lifted up their feet, and cov- 



214 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1336, 



of the parlor were locked, they 
said, Surely he covereth his feet 
in his summer -chamber. 

25 And they tarried till they 
were ashamed : and behold, he 
opened not the doors of the par. 
lor, therefore they took a key 
and opened them : and behold, 
their lord was fallen down dead 
on the earth. 

26 And Ehud escaped while 
they tarried ; and passed be- 



ered them with their long loose gar- 
ments. Thus in the only other 
place where this phrase occurs, 
1 Sam. 24. 3, we read, that Saul 
1 went into a cave to cover his feet,' 
i. e. to refresh himself by sleep. 
This interpretation, though varying 
from that of several of the ancient 
versions, which regard it as a eu- 

Ehemism for a different act, is con- 
rmed by the Arabic and Syriac, and 
also by Joseph as, who says, ' The 
king's servants were very still, as 
supposing that the king had compo- 
sed himself to sleep. 1 From the case 
of Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 4. 5, and of 
David, 2 Sam. 11. 2, it is evident 
that the custom of taking repose in 
those hot countries in the middle of 
the day was by no means unusual. 

25. Tarried till they were asham- 
ed. That is, perplexed, confound- 
ed, not knowing what to make of 
it. They were greatly agitated be- 
tween the fear of disturbing him 
on the one hand, and of neglecting 
their duty on the other. Though 
the primary import of the original is 
that of feeling shame, yet it is also in 
repeated instances found to be close- 
ly connected with the idea of disap- 
pointment in long icaiting, and con- 
sequent perplexity, chagrin, mortifi- 
cation. Thus Jer. 14. 3, ' And their 
nobles have sent their little ones to 
the waters: they have come to the 
pits, and found no water ; they re- 
turned with their vessels empty; 



yond the quarries, and escaped 
unto Seirath. 

27 And it came to pass when 
he was come, that ?he blew a 
trumpet in the z mountain of 
Ephraim, and the children of Is- 
rael went down with him from 
the mount, and he before them. 

28 And he said unto them, 
Follow after me : for a the Lord 
hath delivered your enemies the 
Moabites into your hand. And 

y ch. 5. 14. & 6. 31. 1 Sum". 13- 3. i Josh. 17. JS. 
ch. 7. 24. H 17. 1. & 19. 1. a ch. 7. 9, 15. 1 JS«.m, 

17. 47. 



they were ashamed and confounded, 
and covered their heads.' Job. 6, 
19, 20, ' The troops of Tema looked, 
the companies of Sheba waited for 
them. They were confounded be- 
cause they had hoped; they came 
thither and were ashamed? Comp. 
Ps. 6. 1. Jer. 14. 4. Is. 19 9. 
11 Behold, their lord was fallen down. 
Heb. ' their lords j' pi. excel, accord- 
ing to the Heb. idiom. See on Gen. 
1.1. ' God, when he hath chastened 
his children, doth many times cast 
the rod into the fire.' Frapp. 

27. Blew a trumpet in the moun- 
tain of Ephraim. That is, caused 
trumpets to to be blown in different 
directions throughout that region. 
By the l mountain of Ephraim' is 
not meant any particular mountain, 
but the mountainous tract or dis- 
trict generally. Ehud, though a 
Benjamite, applied first to the tribe 
of Ephraim, probably for the reason 
that that tribe, lying immediately 
contiguous, was more numerous 
than his own, and had more men to 
spare, as the Benjamites not long be- 
fore, in consequence of the events 
mentioned ch. 19 — 21, seem to have 
been reduced to a mere handful. It 
is not unlikely, moreover, that the 
Ephraimites had been the principal 
sufferers under the rod of Moab. 
IT The children of Israel went down 
from the mount. After being col- 
lected in considerable numbers by 
his emissaries. 



A. C. 1336.] 



CHAPTER III. 



215 



they went down after him, and 
took b tbe fords of Jordan toward 
Moab, and suffered not a man 
to pass over. 

29 And they slew of Moab at 
that time about ten thousand 
men, all lusty, and all men of 

bJosh. 2. 7. ch.12. 5. 

28. Took the fords of Jordan. He 
first secured these passes and set a 
strong guard upon them, to cut off 
all communication between the Mo- 
abites en the west, and those in their 
own country on the east of Jordan, 
so that those who might attempt to 
fly shouJd have no means of escape, 
and those who might resolve to 
fight no prospect of assistance from 
abroad- x He thus shut them up in 
that land as their prison, in which 
they were pleasing themselves as 
their palace and paradise.' Henry. 

29. All lust:/, and all men of valor. 
The best andchoicest of all the king 
of Moab's forces, picked troops, 
composed of men of bulk and stature, 
able-bodied and high-spirited, whom 
Eglon had stationed on that side the 
Jordan to overawe and keep Israel 
in subjection. ChaL 'every one 
terrible and full of valor.' 

30. After him was Shamgar. Of 
the tribe and family of Shamgar no- 
thing is said in the Scripture, ex- 
cept that he was the son of Anath, 
nor are we informed how long he 
judged Israel. From his having to 
do principally with the Philistines, 
it is probable that he originated in 
one of the tribes bordering upon 
their territory, as perhaps that of 
Judah or Dan. IT With an ox-goad. 
Heb. *ifc)fi2 rnalmad, from the root 
^£2 larnad, to teach, and literally 
rendered ; an instructor of oxen ;' 
i. e. an instrument by which they 
are brought into due subjection, an- 
alogous to which we have, Hos. 10. 
11, ' mtobfa fibs? a heifer that is 
taught,' and Jer. 31. 18, '• I was chas- 
tised *\y^b ab b^5 as a fadlock n °l 
taught* i. e. not|trainedto subjection, 
though rendered less accurately in 



valor : and there escaped not a 
man. 

30 So Moab was subdued 
that day under the hand of Is- 
rael : and c the land had rest 
fourscore years. 

31 H And after him was 



our translation, ' unaccustomed to 
the yoke.' The Sept. and Vulg. 
render the original by a coulter or 
ploughshare, but that the ox-goad 
still used in Palestine is a weapon 
sufficiently destructive for this pur- 
pose, if "wielded by a strong and 
skilful hand, appears highly prob- 
able from the description of this 
implement given by Maundrell. He 
says, ' the country people were now 
everywhere at plough in the fields, 
in order to sow cotton. It was ob- 
servable, that in ploughing they used 
goads of extraordinary size ; upon 
measuring of several, I found them 
eight feet long, and at the bigger end 
six inches in circumference. They . 
were armed at the lesser end with a 
sharp prickle for driving the oxen, 
at the other end with a small spade, 
or paddle of iron, strong and massy, 
for cleansing the plough from the 
clay that encumbers it in working. 
May we not from hence conjecture, 
that it was with such a goad as one 
of these, that Shamgar made that 
prodigious slaughter related of him, 
Judges 3. 21. I am confident that 
whoever should see one of these in- 
struments, would judge it to be a 
weapon not less fit, perhaps fitter, 
than a sword for such an execution. 
Goads of this sort I saw always used 
hereabouts, and also in Syria ; and 
the reason is, because the same 
single person both drives the oxen, 
and also holds and manages the 
plough', which makes it necessary 
to use such a goad as is above de- 
scribed, to avoid the encumbrance 
of two instruments.' This is con- 
firmed by Mr. Buckingham, who, 
in describing his journey from Soor 
(Tyre) to Acre, remarks of the 



216 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1316. 



d Shamgar the son of Anath, 
which slew of the Philistines six 
hundred men e with an ox-goad ; 
f and he also delivered s Israel. 

d ch. 5. 6, 6. 1 Sam. 13. 19, '~2. e 1 Sam. 17. 47, 
50. fch. 2 16. gch. 4. 1,3, &c. & 10. 7, if. & 
11. 4, &c. I Sam. 4. I. 

ploughing that he witnessed, that 
* oxen were yoked in pairs, and the 
plough was small and of simple con- 
struction, so that it seemed necessary 
for two to follow each other in the 
same furrow as they invariably did. 
The husbandman holding the plough 
with one hand, by a handle like that 
of a walking crutch, bore in the other 
a goad of seven or eight feet in length , 
armed with a sharp point of iron at 
one end, and at the other with a 
plate of the same metal shaped like 
a calking-chiseh One attendant on- 
ly was necessary for each plough, 
as he who guided it, with one hand 
spurred the oxen with the points of 
the goad, and cleansed the earth from 
the ploughshare by its spaded heel 
with the other.'* Shamgar was per- 
haps quietly following the plough, 
at the time when the Philistines 
made a sudden inroad upon the 
country for purposes of plunder, and 
being moved by God to oppose them, 
and having neither spear nor sword 
at hand, he availed himself of the 
implement with which he was driv- 
ing his oxen, and with that effected 
the slaughter here described. The 
achievement was probably mira- 
culous on his part, like that of Sam- 
son in killing so many thousands of 
the Philistines with the jaw-bone of 
an ass; though several respectable 
commentators suppose that instead 
of withstanding the enemy alone, he 
put himself at the head of a hastily 
gathered band of country people, 
who arming themselves with the 
implements of tillage with which 
they were occupied, fell upon the 
invaders and put them to a total rout. 
In support of this sense it is affirm- 
ed, that a leader is often put for the 
force which he commands, as above, 
ch. 1. 13, where Othniel is said to 
have taken Kirjath-sepher, though 



CHAPTER IV. 

A ND nhe children of Israel 
-^ again did evil in the sight of 
the Loud when Ehud was dead. 



no one will suppose he did it unas- 
sisted. So also in regard to the ex- 
ploits of ihe three champions of Is- 
rael mentioned 2 Sam. 23. 8 — 12. 
But this interpretation appears on 
the whole less likely. The incident 
is evidently recorded as something 
uncommon and marvellous, and as 
divine interpositions no more strange 
frequently occurred during the days 
of the judges, we deem it safer to 
abide by the exact letter of the text. 
' It is no matter how weak the weap- 
on is, if God direct and strengthen 
the arm. An ox-goad, when God 
pleases, shall do more than Goliath's 
sword. And sometimes he chooses 
to work by such unlikely means, 
that the excellency of the power may 
appear to be of God.' Henry. The 
brief account here given of Shamgar 
here suggests the remark, (1.) That 
the most distinguished men have of- 
fen risen from the meanest employ- 
ments. (2.) That when a plough- 
man is raised up by God to hold the 
reins of government, or a fisherman 
is elevated to theapostleship,he will 
qualify them for their work and 
bless them with success. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1. The children of Israel did evil 
again in the sight of the Lord. This 
mode of expression when used, as 
here, of the whole body of the nation 
seems to imply a general and open 
defection from the worship of God, 
so that the services of the sanctuary 
were in a great measure neglected. 
' What a continued circle is here of 
sins, judgments, repentance, deliv- 
erance ! The conversation with 
idolaters taints them with sin, their 
sin draws on judgment, the smart of 
the judgment moves them to repen- 
tance, on their repentance follows 
speedy deliverance, on their peace 



A. C. 1316.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



217 



2 And the Lord b sold them 
into the hand of Jabin king of 
Canaan that reigned in c Hazor, 
the captain of whose host was 
d Sisera, which dwelt in e Haro- 
sheth of the Gentiles. 

boh. 3. 14. c Josh. 11. 1, 10. & 19. 36. d 1 Sam. 
12. 9. K<. S3. 9 e ver. 13, 16. 

a nd deliverance they sin again! Who 
would not think idolatry an absurd 
and unnatural thing ? which as it 
hath the fewest inducements, so had 
also the most direct prohibitions 
from God; and yet after all their 
warnings, Israel falls into it again. 
Neither affliction nor repentance 
can secure an Israelite from redoub- 
ling his worst sin, if he be left to his 
own frailty.' Bp. Hall. IT When 
Ehud was dead. This appears to be 
inserted not merely to indicate the 
time when this apostacy took place, 
but also to acquit Ehud of all parti- 
cipation in it. Had he been alive 
there would have been less likeli- 
hood of its occurring. 

2. Sold them. See on ch. 2. 14. 
IT Jabin, king of Canaan. That is, 
of the region where the greatest body 
of the Canaanites dwelt, which was 
in the northern section of the coun- 
try. This Jabin was perhaps a de- 
scendant, as well as successor of the 
king of the same name,, who reigned 
also in Hazor, and who was routed 
and slain, and his city burnt by Josh- 
ua, Josh. 11. 1, 10. In process of 
time, it appears that the city had 
been rebuilt, its power regained^ its 
losses retrieved, and by degrees the 
king of Hazor had obtained the as- 
cendancy over Israel, who were ex- 
ceedingly oppressed under his rod. 
Their former defeat by the chosen 
people, would naturally provoke 
them to make their burdens as heavy 
as possible, while on the other hand, 
the misery of the sufferers would be 
aggravated by the reflection, that 
these Canaanites had once been con- 
quered and subdued by them, and 
might now have been under their 
feet and incapable of molesting them, 
if their own slothfulness, cowardice, 
19* 



3 And the children of Israel 
cried unto the Lord ; for he had 
nine hundred f chariots of iron ; 
and twenty years she mightily 
oppressed the children. of Israel. 

4 IF And Deborah, a pro- 

fch. 1. 19. gch. 5. 8. Ps. 106. 42. 

and unbelief had not given them the 
advantage. To be oppressed by 
those whom their fathers had con- 
quered, and whom they had foolish- 
ly spared, must have greatly embit- 
tered their bondage. No reverses 
are so trying as those which give 
the upper hand to persons or events, 
that have once been under our com- 
plete control. IT Harosheth of the 
Gentiles. Or, ' Harosheth of the 
nations,' i. e. of the heathen nations 
as opposed to the Hebrews, so called 
perhaps from the remains of the 
Canaanitish nations having resorted 
thither in great numbers to assist 
Sisera, the commander of Jabin's 
armies, and to obtain his protection. 
It was situated in the tribe of Naph- 
tali, near the west borders of the 
Lake Samechonitis, in the region 
which was afterwards called, per- 
haps in allusion to this passage, 
' Galilee of the Gentiles.' 

3. Cried unto the Lord. l Those 
who abuse prosperity shall know 
the cries of adversity.' Haweis. IT 
Nine hundred chariots of iron. Had 
so many at his service and under his 
control. It is probable that part of 
them belonged to the neighboring 
powers (ch. 5. 19.) who were confed- 
erate with him on this occasion, 
but altogether they made out the 
vast number here mentioned. ' God 
provides, on purpose, mighty adver- 
saries for his church, that their 
humiliation may be greater in sus- 
taining, and his glory may be great- 
er in deliverance.' Bp. Hall. IF 
Twenty years. A longer period of 
oppression than either of the former, 
because God proportions the judg- 
ments of his sinning people to the 
aggravation of their offences. 

4. And Deborah a prophetess. Heb, 



218 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1316. 



phetess, the wife of Lapidoth, 
she judged Israel at that time. 



5 h And she dwelt under the 
palm-tree of Deborah, between 



h Gen. 35. 8 



1 Deborah a woman, a prophetess.' 
The words 'prophet' and 'prophe- 
tess' are of very extensive and some- 
what ambiguous signification in the 
Old Testament, being sometimes ap- 
plied to persons extraordinarily en- 
dowed of God with the power of 
foretelling future events or of work- 
ing miracles, or of chanting or 
singing forth the praises of God 
tinder supernatural influence ; and 
sometimes to those who were re- 
markably instructedin divine knowl- 
edge by the immediate inspiration 
of the Spirit of God, and therefore 
appointed to act as interpreters of 
his will. As to Deborah, she prob- 
ably belonged to the latter class, and 
was perhaps only a woman of emi- 
nent holiness, prudence, and knowl- 
edge of divine things, by which she 
was qualified above any of the other 
sex then living to judge the people ; 
that is, by acting as God's mouth to 
them, correcting abuses, redressing 
grievances, and determining causes, 
especially in matters pertaining to 
the law and the worship of God. She 
was resorted to by the people of Is- 
rael, from different parts, for judg- 
ment or counsel relative to subjects of 
general interest to the nation, or that 
part of it where she resided, and dis- 
charged her duty by expounding the 
Scriptures, and animating the mag- 
istrates in their several districts to 
put the laws in execution. ' I do 
not find any prophet in Israel during 
their sin ; but so soon as I hear news 
of their repentance, mention is made 
of a prophetess, and judge of Israel. 
There is no better sign of God's re- 
conciliation than the sending of his 
holy messengers to any people ; he 
is not utterly fallen out with those 
whom he blesses with prophecy.' 
Bp. Hall. Under every dispensation 
the Most High exercises his prerog- 
ative as a sovereign in the bestow- 
ment of spiritual gifts, and though 
women, under the Christian econ- 
omy, are precluded from the func- 



tion of public teachers, yet nothing 
hinders them from making the most 
eminent attainments in divine knowl- 
edge, and becoming able in a private 
capacity to render the most signal 
serivces to the ministry and the 
cause of Christ. The import of the 
name Deborah is ' a bee.' Females 
possessed of her spirit, in respect to 
the assiduous study of the Scriptures, 
will find themselves, like David, 
feeding upon that which is siceeter 
to their taste than honey or the hon- 
ey-comb, and in the benevolent em- 
ployments to which it will prompt 
them, will evince the busy and untir- 
ing diligence of their insect exem- 
plar. IT The wife of Lapidoth. 
The termination of the word is the 
Heb. feminine plural, which very 
seldom occurs in the names of men. 
Some therefore render it ' woman of 
Lapidoth,' as if it were the name of 
a place. Others, as Lapidoth taken 
appellatively signifies lamps, would 
read it a' woman of lamps,' i. e. one 
who made wicks for the lamps of 
the Tabernacle. Others, again with 
more show of probability, would 
translate it a ' woman of illumin- 
ations or splendors,' by which they 
would understand a woman super- 
naturally enlightened, endowed with 
extraordinary wisdom, and who had 
thus become very eminent and illus- 
trious. After all, the present render- 
ing, ' wife of Lapidoth,' is the most 
probable. Thus 2 Kings 22. 14, 
' Huldah the prophetess, the wife of 
Shallum.' And for examples of 
feminine terminations in the names, 
see ' Shelomitb,' 1 Chron. 23. 9. 
' Meramoth,' Ezra 8. 33. and ' Mik- 
loth,' 1 Chron. 27. 4. IT Judged 
Israel. That is, in the manner above 
described. It can hardly be supposed 
that she performed all the duties usu- 
ally involved in the office of a judge 
of Israel, of which one of the princi- 
pal was leading the tribes in person 
to war against the enemies arid op- 
pressors of their country. But so far 



A. C. 1316.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



219 



Ramah and Beth-el in mount 
Ephrairn : and the children of 
Israel came up to her for judg- 
ment. 



as the work of judging the people de- 
pended upon counselling and direct- 
ing them in difficult cases, and ex- 
pounding the will of God under the 
influence of the spirit of prophecy, 
this, though a woman, she might be 
qualified to do. Had this office, at 
this time, been filled by a man, it 
would probably have given alarm to 
Jabin, and afforded a pretext to op- 
press the nation with still greater 
burdens, and perhaps to attempt to 
crush them altogether. Josephus, 
speaking of this period, says ' When 
tney (the Israelites) were become 
penitent, and were so wise as to 
learn that their calamities arose 
from their contempt of the laws, 
they besought Deborah, a certain 
prophetess among them, to pray to 
God to take pity on them, not to over- 
look them now they were ruined by 
the Canaanites.' Ant. B. V. ch. 5. 
Compare what is said of Samuel, 
1 Sam. 7. 6, 8. 

5. She dwelt under the palm-tree of 
Deborah. That is, perhaps, collect. 
a palm-grove, a pleasant and shady 
recess, amidst a thick plantation of 
palm-trees ; which from this circum- 
stance went ever after by the name 
of Deborah's palm-grove. Whether 
this is designed to intimate that her 
ordinary settled habitation was se- 
lected in this place, or that her judg- 
ment-seat was fixed here in the open 
air for hearing the applications that 
were made to her, it is not easy to 
determine. The original fcatDT^ 
was sitting) will admit of either 
sense. From the phrase ' sitting in 
judgment,' Ps. 9 8, it would appear, 
that the latter is the more genuine 
import of the words. IF Between 
Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephra- 
irn. Consequently very near the 
confines of the tribes of Benjamin 
and Ephrairn, in one of which lay 
Ramah, and in the other Bethel, the 



6' And she sent and called 
'Barak the son of Abinoam out 
k of Kedesh-naphtali, and said 
unto him, Hath not the Lord 



k Josh. 19. 37. 



former about six miles north of Jer- 
usalem, the latter about twelve. 

6. Kedesh-naphtali. So called to 
distinguish it from two other cities 
of the same name, the one in Issa- 
char, the other in Judah. This 
place was situated on an eminence 
about ei ght miles n orth-west from the 
head of the sea of Galilee. ToKedesh 
she sent for Barak, in virtue of the 
authority with which she was invest- 
ed as prophetess, and which seems 
to have been generally acknowledg- 
ed by her people. ' He could do 
nothing without her head, nor she 
without his hands; both together 
made a complete delivererand effect- 
ed a complete deliverance. The 
greatest and best are not self-suffici- 
ent, but need one another.' Henry. 
IF Hath not the Lord God of Israel 
commanded, &c. The usual form of 
a strong affirmation. It does not ap- 
pear, however, that Barak had re- 
ceived any command whatever pre- 
vious to this time. IT Go and draw 
totoard mount Tabor. The true sense 
of the term ' draw' in this connec- 
tion , is a poin t much debated by com- 
mentators. According to the render- 
ing in our common translation it 
would naturally be taken as a com- 
mand to approach toward mount Ta- 
bor; but this evidently is incorrect, 
as the verb in the original never has 
this meaning, and the exact render- 
ing of the preposition is in or upon 
mount Tabor, instead of toward. A 
nearer approximation to the sense of 
the Hebrew must be attempted, and 
here as in other cases of doubtful in- 
terpretation the prevailing usage t 
(usus loquendi) of the sacred writers 
in regard to the word in question 
must afford the clew to our inquiries. 
That its primary import is to draw, 
to dravj out, and thence, in some 
cases, to prolong, to protract, as 
the sound of a trumpet in blow- 



220 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1316. 



God of Israel commanded, say- 
ing, Go, and draw toward mount 
Tabor, and take with thee ten 

ing, is universally conceded. In- 
deed Le Clerc, Schmid, and others 
on the ground of its being applied 
to the long-drawn sound of a trum- 
pet, Ex. 17. 13, Josh. 6.5, propose to 
supply the original word for trum- 
pet and to take it as a command to 
Barak to go and blow the trumpet on 
mount Tabor, as a signal for the 
gathering of the tribes, as Ehud did 
upon mount Ephraim. Gesenius 
and Winer in their lexicons, under- 
stand it of drawing out } or asun- 
der a military force, i. e. intrans. 
extending, expanding, spreading 
themselves out. A preferable sense 
we think to be that of drawing, 
drafting, or enlisting, not perhaps 
by compulsion, but by argument and 
persuasion ; not so much to raise an 
army of conscripts, as a band of vol- 
unteers; as will be easily inferred 
from the tenor of Deborah's song in 
the ensuing chapter, which is in 
part a reproof to several af the tribes 
for not offering themselves wittingly 
on this perilous emergency. How 
much support this rendering re- 
ceives from parallel usage will be 
seen from the following citations. 
Cant. 1.4,' Draw me, we will run 
after thee;' i. e. secretly but power- 
fully constrain me, Jer. 31. 3. 'I 
have loved thee with an everlasting 
love ; therefore with loving kindness 
have I draivn thee.' Hos. 11. 4. l I 
drew them with cords of a man, with 
bands of love;' i. e. by the power of 
moral suasion; by arguments and 
motives suited to their rational na- 
tures. In like manner, we suppose 
Barak was ordered to go and use 
his utmost endeavors to stir up the 
minds of his countrymen, and as a 
popular advocate of any cause draivs 
partisans after him, so he was to pre- 
vail upon as many as possible to en- 
gage with him in the proposed en- 
terprise. See on ch. 5. 14. ^ Mount 
Tabor. An isolated mountain which 
rises on the north-eastern side of I 



thousand men of the children of 
Naphtali, and of the children of 
Zebulun ; 

the great plain of Esdraelon in 
Galilee, and situated about six 
miles south-east of Nazareth. It 
is described as having the appear- 
ance of a cone with the point cut off; 
but travellers vary in their estimate 
of its height, which is probably about 
2500 or 3000 feet. It is remarkable 
for standing alone, though there are 
several eminences in the neighbor- 
hood, all which it completly over- 
tops. It is very fertile and is en- 
tirely covered with green oaks and 
other trees, shrubs, and odoriferous 
plants. Roads and paths are made 
on the south side of the mountain, 
which lead to its top by winding 
ascents, and are sufficiently easy to 
admit of riding to the top. When 
arrived at the summit, the traveller 
is astonished to find an oval of half 
a mile in extent, commanding the 
finest view any where to be obtained 
in the whole compass of Palestine. 
On this plain at the east end is a 
mass of ruins, apparently the re- 
mains of churches, towers, strong 
walls, and fortifications, all bearing 
the traces of having been erected in 
a very remote antiquity. Several 
grottos and cisterns are also pointed 
out.. ' From its top,' says Maund- 
rell, 'you have a prospect which, if 
nothing else, will reward the labor 
of ascending it. It is impossible for 
man's eyes to have a higher gratifi- 
cation of this nature. On the north- 
west, you discern, at a distance, the 
Mediterranean, and all round you 
have the spacious and beautiful 
plains of Esdraelon and Galilee. 
Turning a little southward you have 
in view the high mountains of Gil- 
boa, fatal to Saul and his sons. Due 
east you discern the sea of Tiberias, 
distant about one day's journey.' 
The mountain is now called Djebel 
Tour. % Ten thousand men. Ten 
thousand more or less. Not that he 
was to be tied to this precise number, 
nor exclusively to these two tribes ; 



A. C. 1316.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



221 



7 And il will draw unto thee, 
to the m river Kishon, Sisera the 
captain of Jabin's army, with his 
chariots and his multitude ; and 
I will deliver him into thy hand ? 

8 And Barak said unto her, 

1 Ex. 14. 4. ra ch. 5. 21. 1 Kings IS. 40. Ps. 83. 
9. 10. 

for it is plain from ch. 5. 14 — 23, 
that several other tribes, as Ephraim, 
Benjamin, Manasseh, and Issachar, 
volunteered recruits on the occasion, 
while those that withheld them are 
reproved, and Meroz cursed for 
taking the. stand of neutrality ; but 
the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali 
are more especially mentioned, be- 
cause they had probably been the 
principal sufferers under the oppres- 
sive rule of Jabin, and were nearer 
at hand to the scene of the approach- 
ing conflict than any of the rest. In 
addition to this, Barak himself was 
of the tribe of Naphtali, and the es- 
teem in which he was doubtless 
held, would naturally bring numbers 
of them to his standard. 

7. And I will draw unto thee. The 
same word as that employed in the 
preceding verse and having a kind- 
red import. God would ' draw the 
hosts of Sisera to the river Kishon/ 
by so ordering the events of his pro- 
vidence as to afford motives to them 
to concentrate in all their force at 
that point. They were not to be 
drawn together by physical but by 
moral influence. Their counsels 
were to be so overruled by a secret 
divine direction, that they should 
result in their being brought together 
at that place, as sheep for the slaugh- 
ter, and yet their utmost freedom of 
will left undisturbed. ' When God 
will destroy his enemies their resis- 
tance is in vain ; a*nd their gathering 
to battle is only rushing into the 
snare.' Haweis. 51 The river Kis- 
hon. See on ch. 5. 21. 

8. If thou unit go with me, &c. 
By making his obedience conditional 
when the command was absolute, 
Barak showed that his faith was 
marred by infirmity, and this con- 



If thou wilt go with me, then I 
will go : but if thou wilt not go 
with me, then I will not go. 

9 And she said, I will surely 
go with thee : notwithstanding 
the journey that thou takest 



viction is confirmed by Deborah's 
answer in which she intimates to 
him that he shall not receive the 
same honor or ditsinction from the 
enterprise, that he would otherwise 
have done. In like manner, Moses' 
lack of faith when ordered to go up- 
on a mission to Pharaoh, led God 
to divide the honor of that embassy 
with Aaron, which would otherwise 
have redounded to Moses alone, Ex. 
4. 14. Still it is evident from the 
apostle's commendation, Heb. 11. 32, 
that Barak possessed true though 
weak faith, and that it was from a 
profound conviction of the spirit of 
God's dwelling and speaking in De- 
borah, that he so earnestly desired 
her presence. Could he but enjoy 
this, he would feel that he possessed 
a pledge and earnest of the divine 
blessing, and this was showing a 
respect to God's prophets, which im- 
plied a genuine faith, and was no 
doubt highly acceptable as far as it 
went. But though it would natually 
be a source of great satisfaction and 
encouragement to him, to have the 
prophetess with him to animate his 
soldiers, and to be consulted as an 
oracle upon all occasions, yet it is 
plain that he ought to have gone di- 
rectly forward without her, relying 
on the God of Deborah, who had ex- 
pressly and unconditionally pro- 
mised him the victory, v. 7. How 
rare, alas ! is simple child-like con- 
fidence in God! How difficult is it 
for men, and the best of men, to 
break away from undue dependance 
on an arm of flesh, even when as- 
sured by the most express declaration 
of God, that he will uphold and de- 
liver them, and be to them more 
than armies of strength, or muni- . 
tions of rocks ! 



222 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1316. 



shall not be for thine honor ; for 
the Lord shall n sell Sisera into 
the hand of a woman. And 
Deborah arose, and went with 
Barak to Kedesh. 



9. I will surely go with thee. An 
indulgence to human infirmity, such 
as the divine condescension often 
afforded to his, weak and wavering 
servants. Were God's thoughts like 
ours and his ways like ours, he 
would have been far more apt to dis- 
card Barak altogether and say to 
him, that if he had not faith enough 
to trust the promise of Him wno 
cannot lie, he would call some one 
to the service who had, and to whom 
he would give the glory of an ex- 
ploit which he had in so cowardly 
a manner declined. But with char- 
acteristic kindness the Most High is 
pleased to yield somewhat to his 
perverseness, and Deborah, under 
the divine prompting, engages to 
accompany him. While the parties 
thus seem in effect to have changed 
sexes, it is obviously meet that some 
tokens of divine disapprobation 
should mark Barak's faint-hearted- 
ness, and he is consequently told 
that he is to share the glory of the 
victory with a weak wonan. IF 
The journey that thou takest shalt not 
be for thine honor. Heb. ' thine 
honor shall not be upon the way 
which thou goest.' That is, prob- 
ably, the way, the conduct, the course 
which thou art proposing in this 
matter shall not be such as to re- 
dound to thy credit. If, however, it 
betaken as read in our translation, 
then the remark of Henry may be 
very well founded, that ' so confident 
was she of success that she calls his 
engaging'in the war but the under- 
taking of a journey.' IT The Lord 
shall sell Sisera into the hand of a 
woman. Some understand this of 
Deborah herself, but we think the 
designed allusion is to Jael. Of her 
the words may be understood liter- 
ally; applied to Deborah they can 
only be explained by a figure of 



10 IF And Barak called °Zeb- 
ulun and Naphtali to Kedesh ; 
and he went up with ten thou- 
sand men Pat his feet : and De- 
borah went up with him. 

o ch. 5. 18. p See Ex. 11. 8. 1 Kings 20. 10. 



speech. Besides, if spoken of Deb- 
orah, the sentence merely declares 
what he knew before. He was no 
doubt aware that if she went with 
him it would diminish the credit of 
his success, yet notwithstanding he 
was sensible ofthis he insisted upon 
her accompanying him. But in re- 
gard to the part Jael was to act in 
the transaction, he of course knew 
nothing. This was a pure predic- 
tion uttered by Deborah in the spi- 
rit of prophecy, and such he would 
understand it to be when the event 
was accomplished. U Deborah — 
went with Barak to Kedesh. Con- 
sequently Barak had previously, in 
obedience to her summons, left Ke- 
desh and repaired to her at her res- 
idence between Ramah and Beth-el. 
The above conversation was un- 
doubtedly held by the parties in per- 
son after they met. 

10. And Barak called Zebulun and 
Naphtali. The original for ' called 5 
being in the Hiphil form, properly 
signifies caused to call, i. e. assem- 
bled by means of emissaries sent 
among the tribes. Whether this 
was done as some suppose, by the 
blowing of trumpets, the common 
signal for war, or otherwise, is un- 
certain. IT Went up with ten thou- 
sand men at his feet. Heb. { went 
up with his feet ten thousand men.' 
Such is the literal rendering of the 
original, from which most of the 
versions depart, and so lose the 
exact shade of meaning which we 
conceive the words intended to con- 
vey, viz. that the ten thousand ac- 
companied him with as much alac- 
rity as though all their feet had be- 
longed to his body ; in other words, 
they were entirely at his control, ob- 
sequious to his beck and bidding. 
The phrase may appear uncouth, 
but it is highly significant, and in all 



A. C. 1316.] 

11 Now Heber nhe Kenite, 
which was of the children of 
r Hobab the father-in-law of Mo- 
ses, had severed himself from 
the Kenites, and pitched his tent 
unto the plain of Zaanaim, 
•which is by Kedesh. 

12 And they showed Sisera 
that Barak the son of Abinoam 
was gone up to mount Tabor. 

qch. 1.16. r Num. 10. 29. a rer. 6. 



CHAPTER IV. 



223 



cases we would aim to adhere as 
closely as practicable to the very 
letter of the original. The intef- 
ligent reader would prefer to know- 
precisely what the sacred penman 
says, and then to be left to put such 
a construction upon it as to his mind 
the evidence of the case admits or 
requires. Comp. ch. 5. 15. 8. 5. — 
1 The phrase ' men at his feet,' did 
not, I believe, refer to any particu- 
lar class of soldiers, but applied to 
all, whether they fought in chariots, 
on horses, or on foot. This form of 
speech is used in eastern books to 
show how many obey or serve under 
the general. It may be taken from 
the action of a slave being prostrate 
at the feet of his master, denoting 
submission or obedience. In this 
way devotees, when addressing the 
gods, always speak of themselves as 
being at their feet. When the Ori- 
entals speak of his Majesty of Bri- 
tain, they often allude to the millions 
who are at bis feet. The governors, 
generals, or judges in the East, are 
said to have the people of such coun- 
tries, or armies, or districts, at their 
feet. Nay, it is common for mas- 
ters, and people of small possessions, 
to speak of their domestics as being 
at their feet. It is therefore heard 
every day, for { I will send my ser- 
vants,' en-kal-adiyila, l those at my 
feet." Roberts. 

11. Now Heber the Kenite, &c. 
This verse comes in here parenthet- 
ically to prepare the way for what is 
soon to be said about Jael, a woman 
of this family. It would otherwise 



13 And Sisera gathered to- 
gether all his chariots, even nine 
hundred chariots of iron, and all 
the people that were with him, 
from Harosheth of the Gentiles 
unto the river of Kishon. 

14 And Deborah said unto 
Barak, Up ; for this is the day 
in which the Lord hath deliv- 
ered Sisera into thy hand : *is 

t Dent. 9. 3. 2 Sam. 5. 24. P*. 68. 7. Is. 52. 12. 



seem singular that when the writer 
had before said ch. 1. 16, that this 
family had passed into the tribe of 
Judah, and was dwelling in the wil- 
derness south of Arad, that one of 
the stock was found abiding so far 
north as the tribe of Naphtali. He 
accounts for it by saying that the in- 
dividual in question had emigrated 
to a distance from his brethren. 
The verse should have been inclu- 
ded in the usual marks of a paren- 
thesis. IT Pitched his tent unto. 
That is, gradually shifted his habi- 
tation towards. See on Gen. 13. 12. 
He doubtless followed the nomade 
mode of life. 

12. And they showed Sisera. A 
common idiom for 'it was told Sise- 
ra.' See on Gen. 16. 14. 

13. Gathered together. The same 
word in the original with that spoken 
of Barak v. 10, and there rendered 
1 called.' In both cases it means to 
assemble by proclamation. IT Unto 
the river Kishon. That is, gathered 
unto the river Kishon. The writer 
is not giving the boundaries of the 
several nations that were confed- 
erate with Sisera, nor stating that 
they extended from Harosheth of 
the Gentiles unto the river Kishon. 

14. Hath delivered Sisera into thy 
hand. Will as certainly deliver as 
if it were already done. By Sisera 
here is meant his army, for as to 
Sisera himself, he was not delivered 
into the hand of Barak, but of Jael, 
as Deborah had before announced, 
v. 9. IT Is not the Lord gone out 
before thee. As God had expressly 



224 



JUDGES. 



[[A. C.1316. 



not the Lord gone out before 
thee ? So Barak went down 
from mount Tabor, andten thou- 
sand men after him. 

15 And u the Lord discom- 
fited Sisera, and all his chariots, 

u Ps. 83. 3, 10. See Josh. 10. 10. 



said v. 7, that he would draw Sise- 
ra's army with his chariots and his 
multitudes together to the river Ki- 
shon, and then deliver them into Ba- 
rak's hand, so Deborah in these 
words simply intimates that God 
had thus far been as good as his pro- 
mise, that he had gone out before 
Barak in the sense of putting every 
thing; in readiness for his achieving 
the promised victory. The Lord's 
going before one in battle, when 
thus explained is equivalent to ma- 
king sure a successful result. So 2 
Sam. 5. 24, ' And let it be when thou 
nearest the sound of a going in the 
tops of the mulberry trees, that then 
thou shalt bestir thyself; for then 
shall the Lord tfo out before thee, to 
smite the host of the Philistines.' 
Nothing so encourages a good man 
in the way of duty or of danger, as 
the conviction that the Lord goes 
before him and that he is acting un- 
der his direction. 1T Barak went 
down from the mount. Instead of 
making it his chief object to main- 
tain the post which he had chosen, 
with all its advantages, on the top of 
the mount where he was completely 
unassailable by the enemy's iron 
chariots, he heroically sallies down 
to the level plain with his far infe- 
rior force, in order that by giving 
Sisera every advantage the glory of 
the victory to be achieved over him 
might be so much the greater. 

15. The Lord discomfited Sisera. 
Or, as the Heb. implies confounded, 
threw them into disorder, drove them 
twmiltuously together causing char- 
iots to break and overthrow chariots, 
and horses and men to be mingled 
in their fall in wild confusion. It 
was not so much the bold and unex- 
pected charge of Barak that produ- 
ced this effect, as a supernatural 



and ali his host, with the edge 
of the sword before Barak ; so 
that Sisera lighted down off 
* his chariot, and fled away on 
his feet. 

16 But Barak pursued after 

panic, a terror from God, that seized 
their spirits, threw them into irre- 
trievable confusion, and made them 
an easy prey to the sword. It is 
said ch. 5. 20, that ' the stars from 
heaven fought against Sisera,' and 
Josephus gives the following very 
probable account of the terrific 
scene. ' When they were come to 
a close fight, there came down from 
heaven a great storm, with a vast 
quantity of rain and hail, and the 
wind blew the rain in the face of the 
Canaanites, and so darkened their 
eyes, their arrows and slings were 
of no advantage to them; nor would 
the coldness of the air permit the 
soldiers to make use of their swords, 
while this storm did not so much in- 
commode the Israelites, because it 
came on their backs. They also 
took such courage upon the appre- 
hension that God was assisting them, 
that they fell upon the very midst of 
their enemies, and slew a great num- 
ber of them, so that some of them 
fell by the Israelites, some fell by 
their own horses which were put 
into disorder, and not a few were 
killed by their own chariots.' Ant. 
B. V. ch. 5. IT Sisera lighted 
down — and fled away on his feet. 
To guard more effectually against 
being discovered. Had he fled in 
his chariot he would have baen lia- 
ble to be recognised and taken or 
slain. ' His chariots had been his 
pride and his confidence ; and we 
may suppose that he had therefore 
despised and defied the armies of the 
living God, because they were all on 
foot, and had neither chariot nor 
horse, as he had; justly therefore is 
he made ashamed of his confidence, 
and forced to quit it, and thinks him- - 
self then most safe and easy when 
he has got clear of his chariot. 



A. C. 1316.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



225 



the chariots, and after the host, 
unto Harosheth of the Gentiles : 
and all the host of Sisera fell 

Thus they are disappointed who 
rest on the creature.' Henry. 

16. Fell upon the edge of the sword. 
Rather, fell by the edge of the sword. 
IT There was not a man 'left. Heb. 
1 there was not left unto one.' Jose- 
phus says that Sisera's army on this 
occasion consisted of three hundred 
thousand footmen, ten thousand 
horsemen, and three thousand char- 
iots. Of these only nine hundred 
may have been iron chariots, as 
stated by the sacred historian. 

17. To the tent of Joel, the wife of 
Heber the Kenite. That is, proba- 
bly, to Jael's apartment of the tent, 
the harem, the women's quarters. 
1 We must consider these Kenites as 
Arabs, and estimate their proceed- 
ings accordingly. Sisera's claim on 
Jael, in the absence of Heber, was 
perfectly proper. When a stranger 
comes to an Arab camp, where he 
has no acquaintance, he proceeds to 
the first tent, and if the proprietor is 
absent, his wife and daughters are 
not only authorised, but required, to 
perform the duties of hospitality to 
him. As a character for liberal hos- 
pitality is an actual distinction of an 
Arab, no one can with honor repel 
from the tent a stranger who claims 
hospitality, nor, in ordinary circum- 
stances, does any one desire to do 
so; on the contrary, there is rather 
a disposition to contend who shall 
enjoy the privilege of granting him 
entertainment. In the present in- 
stance Sisera's application to the 
tent of the Sheikh, whose privilege 
it more especially was to entertain 
strangers, was in the common course 
of things. As belonging to a friend- 
ly people, Sisera's claim for protec- 
tion was as valid as a common claim 
for hospitality, and could not be re- 
fused. Having once promised pro- 
tection to a person, and admitted him 
to his tent, the Arab is bound, not 
only to conceal his guest, but to de- 
fend him, even with his life, from 

20 



upon the edge of the sword ; 
and there was not a man left. 
17 Howbeit, Sisera fled away 



his pursuers ; and if his tent should 
be forced and his guest slain there, 
it is his duty to become the avenger 
of his blood. On these sentiments 
of honor Sisera seems to have re- 
lied; particularly after Jael had 
supplied him with refreshments, 
which, in the highest sense, are re- 
arded as a seal to the covenant of 
ace and safety : and in fact, after 
" is an Arab wonld be bound to 
protect with his own life even his 
bitterest enemy, to whom he may in- 
advertently have granted his protec- 
tion. It is probable that Jael intro- 
duced Sisera for safety into the in- 
ner or woman's part of the tent. 
This she might do without impro- 
priety, although it would be the 
most grievous insult for any man to 
intrude there without permission. 
Sisera appears to have felt quite cer- 
tain that the pursuers would not dare 
search the harem, and indeed it is 
almost certain that they would not 
have done so ; for the Hebrews had 
too long and too recently been them- 
selves a nomade people, not to have 
known that a more heinous and in- 
expiable insult could not be offered 
to the neutral Kenite Emir, than to 
disturb the sanctity of his harem, or 
even to enter, unpermitted, the outer 
part of his tent. We very much 
doubt whether they would have ven- 
tured, even if they had been certain 
that Sisera was there, to have enter- 
ed to kill him, or take him thence, 
while under Heber 's protection. 
This is an answer to Bp. Patrick, 
who would have recommended Jael 
not to have been so hasty to act her- 
self, but to have waited till the pur- 
suers came and took him. They 
could not take him, or even search 
for him, without inflicting on Heber 
a dishonor worse than death ; nei- 
ther could Jael have given him up 
to them without bringing everlasting 
infamy'upon her family and tribe.' 
Pict. Bible. IT There was peat* 



226 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1316. 



on his feet to the tent of Jael the 
wife of Heber the Kenite : for 
there was peace between Jabin 
the king of Hazor and the house 
of Heber the Kenite. 

18 1T And Jael went out to 

between Jabin — and the house of He- 
ber. That is, there was no war ; not 
that there was any league offensive 
or defensive between them, but they 
were not, like the Israelites, objects 
of hostility to Jabin. The Ken- 
ites, though they were proselytes 
and worshipped the true God ac- 
cording to the Mosaic law, yet as 
they were strangers by birth and 
laid claim to no inheritance in the 
promised land, they seem to have 
deemed it the best policy, in the midst 
of the contentions around them, to 
preserve a strict neutrality and 
maintain peace, as far as possible, 
both with the Israelites and the Ca- 
naanites ; and as their quiet, harm- 
less way of life exempted them from 
suspicion, Jabin appears to have of- 
fered them no molestation. It was 
doubtless on these grounds that 
Sisera thought of taking refuge 
among them, not considering, says 
Henry, that though they themselves 
did not suffer by Jabin's power, yet 
they heartily sympathized with 
God's Israel that did. 

18. Turn in, my lord, turn in to 
me. Perhaps no more appropriate 
comment can be furnished on these 
words, than the following extract 
from Pococke, giving an account of 
the manner in which he was treated 
in an Arab tent on his journey to Je- 
rusalem : — '.My conductor led me 
two or three miles to his tent, and 
'there he sat with his wife and others 
"round a fire. The Arabs are not so 
scrupulous as the Turks about their 
women ; and though they have their 
harem, or women's part of the tent, 
yet such as they are acquainted with 
come into it. I was kept in the ha- 
rem for greater security; the wife 
being always with me, no stranger 
even daring to come into the women's 
apartment unless introduced.' So 



meet Sisera, and said unto him, 
Turn in, my lord, turn in to me ; 
fear not. And when he had 
turned in unto her into the tent, 
she covered him with a mantle. 
19 And he said unto her, 



Jael invited Sisera to take refuge in 
her own tent, or in her division of 
her husband's tent, into which no 
stranger might presume to enter, and 
where he naturally supposed him- 
self to be in perfect safety. There 
is undoubtedly an apparent treachery 
in the conduct of Jael on this occa- 
sion, but the probability is that she 
was moved by a divine impulse to ex- 
ecute the deed she did. At first in- 
deed on inviting him into the tent, 
she may have intended no more than 
the ordinary hospitalities which the 
Orientals have ever been accustomed 
to show to strangers and travellers, 
nor is it certain that she was even 
aware who he was, till after he had 
entered the tent. When she had as- 
certained this, the most natural con- 
clusion certainly is, reasoning from 
the nature of woman, that she would 
have suffered him to lie still till Ba- 
rak who was on the pursuit had 
come up, or would in some way 
have communicated information of 
his hiding-place to the Israelites. 
To fall upon him herself, unaided 
and alone, would appear to have been 
an exploit surpassing female forti- 
tude, and would have been a conduct 
so decidedly and pointedly opposed 
to all the principles of honor by 
which Orientals are governed, that 
we know not how to account for it, 
unless she had been prompted by a 
suggestion from above, and this in- 
ference would seem to be confirmed, 
both by the fact that it had been ex- 
pressly predicted that Sisera should 
be delivered into the hand of a wo- 
man, and by the eulogium of Debo- 
rah, ch. 5. 24, ' Blessed above women 
shall Jael the wife of Heber the Ke- 
nite be, blessed shall she be above 
women in the tent,' on which see 
note. If this were the case, she is 
sufficiently vindicated by the fact, 



A. C. 1316.] 



CHAPTER IV. 



227 



Give me, I pray thee, a little 
water to drink ; for I am thirsty 
And she opened x a bottle of 
milk, and gave him drink, and 
covered him. 

20 Again he said unto her, 
Stand in the door of the tent, 
and it shall be, when any man 
doth come and inquire of thee, 
and say, Is there any man here ? 
that thou shah say, No. 

21 Then Jael Heber's wife 



for God has a right to dispose of the 
lives of his creatures as he pleases, 
as we see in the case of Eglon in the 
preceding chapter ; and probably the 
cup of Sisera's iniquity was full, and 
his life already forfeited to divine 
justice. On the whole, therefore, 
the presumption is, that Jael did 
right, yet as the case was wholly ex- 
traordinary, it can never be estab- 
lished as a precedent for others. 
?)" Covered him vrith a ma/ntle. Or, a 
quilt, rug, or blanket. 

19. Opened a bottle of milk and 
gave him drink. As if this were a 
more palatable draught than water. 
By thus doing more for him than he 
requested, she evinced a kinder care 
for his comfort and increased his 
confidence and security. Josephus 
says it was ' sour milk,' which is not 
unlikely, as that is considered in the 
East a very grateful and cooling 
drink. See on ch. 5. 25. 

20. Thou shall, say, No. It does 
not appear however that Jael prom- 
ised to deny his being there. Our 
regard for others may prompt us to 
many acts of kindness for them, but 
there is a point beyond which we 
must not go. A fearer of God will 
not listen to a request that would in- 
volve the commission of sic, especi- 
ally the sin of falsehood. The cus- 
tom adopted in some families of in- 
structing servants to say, ' Not at 
home,' when a master or mistress 
does not wish to receive company, is 



yfook a nail of the tent, and took 
a hammer in her hand, and went 
softly unto him, and smote the 
nail into his temples, and fasten- 
ed it into the ground : for he 
was fast asleep, and weary. So 
he died. 

22 And behold, as Barak pur- 
sued Sisera, Jael came out to 
meet him, and said unto him, 
Come, and I will show thee the 
man whom thou seekest. And 

y ch. 5. 26. 

directly at variance with the dictates 
of Christian simplicity and sincerity, 
nor is it any thing in its favor that 
it here has the sanction of a wicked, 
heathen warrior doomed to destruc- 
tion. The practice of prevarication 
thus inculcated upon servants may 
be expected to react upon those who 
employ them ; for if they are taught 
to lie for others they will be very apt 
to do it for themselves. 

21, Took a nail of the tent. One 
of those long sharp pins or spikes 
which were driven into the ground, 
and to which cords were attached to 
stretch the cloth of the tent and keep 
it firmly secured. They were prob- 
ably made of iron; Josephus calls 
this an 'iron nail.' Shaw, describ- 
ing the tents of the Bedouin Arabs, 
says, ' these tents are kept firm and 
steady, by bracing or stretching 
down their eaves .with cords tied 
down to hooked wooden pins well 
pointed, which they drive into the 
ground with a mallet ; one of these 
pins answering to the nail, as the 
mallet does to the hammer, which 
Jael used in fastening to the ground 
the temples of Sisera.' IF Took a 
hammer in her hand. Heb. ' put an 
hammer in her hand.' As tents 
were often moved she had probably 
acquired an expertness in the use of 
the implements necessary for fasten- 
ing and unfastening them. IT And 
fastened it into the ground. Heb. 
' and it went down, penetrated, to the 



228 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



when he came into her tent, be- 
hold, Sisera lay dead, and the 
nail was in his temples. 

23 So z God subdued on that 
day Jabin the king of Canaan 
before the children of Israel. 

24 And the hand of the child- 
ren of Israel prospered, and pre- 



ground. 5 The verb is neuter and 
should be referred to the pin rather 
than to Jael. 

23. Subdued — Jabin the Icing of 
Canaan. There is in the original 
an apparent paranomasia, or play 
upon words, of which the English 
reader entirely loses sight. The 
Heb. word for c subdue' and that for 
' Canaan' are from the same root ; 
as if it were said ' he humbled the 
son of humiliation;' he made good 
the destiny of subjugation implied in 
the very name ' Canaan.' 

24. Prospered and prevailed. Heb. 
1 going, went, and was hard.' On the 
use of the verb ' to go, or to walk' 
for the gradual increase or progres- 
sion of any thing, see on Gen. 3. 8. 
From this event was to be dated the 
complete deliverance of Israel from 
the yoke of Jabin. Having suffered 
so severely by their guilty and fool- 
ish forbearance towards their ene- 
mies, they now resolve to tolerate 
them no longer, but to make an effec- 
tual riddance of them, as a people to 
whom no mercy was to be shown 
without equally offending God and 
endangering their own interests. It 
was probably with an eye to the ju- 
dicial sentence under which these 
devoted nations lay, that this formi- 
dable enemy in the space of two 
verses is three times called ' king of 
Canaan ;' for as such he was to be 
destroyed, and so thoroughly ivas he 
destroyed, that the title ' king of Ca- 
naan' occurs not again in the subse- 
quent narrative. 

CHAPTER V. 

The subject matter of the present 
chapter is the triumphal spngj sung 



vailed against Jabin the king of 
Canaan, until they haddestoyed 
Jabin king of Canaan* 

CHAPTER V. 

rPHEN a sang Deborah and 
■*- Barak the son of Abinoam 
on that day, saying, 

a See Ex, 15. 1. Ps. 18. title. 



by Deborah and Barak, on occasion 
of the signal victory above recorded 
of the forces of Israel over the 
armies of Jabin and Sisera. The 
spirit of prophecy is nearly allied to 
the spirit of poetry, and when the 
efforts of genius are heightened by 
the prompting of inspiration, we 
may reasonably look for results that 
shall distance all human competition. 
Nor in the present instance shall we 
look in vain. Considered merely 
as a specimen of lyric composition, 
this ode of Deborah may challenge 
comparison with the finest effusions 
of the classic muse of any age or 
country. Though occasionally ob- 
scure in the original, and in the 
English translation, in some in- 
stances, scarcely intelligible, yet it 
evidently breathes the highest spirit 
of poetry. Its strains are lofty and 
impassioned, its images bold, varied, 
and lively, its diction singularly 
happy, and it is pervaded through- 
out by a vein of mingled beauty and 
sublimity to be found in the bards of 
inspiration only. Borne away by 
the ecstasy and energy of the divine 
impulse, she breaks forth in the most 
abrupt and impassioned appeals, and 
personifications ; at one moment, 
soaring upwards towards heaven, 
and then returning to earth ; now 
touching upon the present, and now 
upon the past; and finally closing 
with the grand promise and result 
of all prophecy, and of all the deal- 
ings of God's providence, the over- 
throw of the wigked, and the triumph 
of the good. In arranging the course 
and connection of the thoughts in the 
poem, the following divisions may 
be easily and naturally traced. 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



229 



2 Praise ye the Lord for the 
b avenging of Israel, c \vhen the 



c2Chr. 17. 16. 



(1.) A devout thanksgiving for 
the burst of patriotic feeling, which 
led the nation to rise and avenge 
their wrongs, with a summons to 
the heathen kings to listen to her 
song of triumph over their allies, 
v. 1—3. 

(2.) A description of the magni- 
ficent scenes at mount Sinai, and in 
the plains of Edom, when the Most 
High manifested himself in behalf 
of his people, exerting his miracu- 
lous power to bring them into the 
promised land. v. 4, 5. 

(3.) A graphic sketch of the de- 
gradation and oppression under 
which the nation groaned in conse- 
quence of their apostacy , the inse- 
curity of travelling and desertion of 
the villages during a twenty years' 
servitude, v. 6 — 8. 

(4.) The contrast to this exhibit- 
ed in their present happy state of 
security from the incursions and de- 
predations of their enemies, especi- 
ally at the watering places, which 
were most exposed, and a vivid in- 
vocation to herself and Barak, as 
well as others, to join in a song of 
praise and triumph to the Author of 
their deliverance, v. 9 — 13. 

(5.) A commendation of such of 
the tribes as volunteered on the oc- 
casion, and a stern rebuke of those 
which ignobly remained at home. 
v. 14—18. 

(6.) A glowing description of the 
of the battle, and an invocation of 
curses on the inhabitants of Meroz, 
for not coming up to the help of 
their brethren in the time of their 
extremity, v. 19. — 23. 

(7.) A eulogy upon Jael with 
a vivid description of the circum- 
stances of Sisera's death, v. 24—27. 

(8.) A highly poetical change in 
the imagery, in which the mother of 
Sisera is introduced in anxious im- 
patience for her son's return, and 
confidently anticipating the success- 
ful issue of the engagement; con- 
cluding with a solemn apostrophe to 
20* 



people willingly offered them- 
selves. 



God, praying that all his enemies may 
perish in like manner, and express- 
ing the assurance that all that love 
him shall at last gloriously triumph. 
v. 28—31. 

1 . Then sang Deborah and Barak. 
Heb. ' then sang she, Deborah, and 
Barak.' The verb is in the fern, 
sing, in order to give the 'precedency 
to Deborah, as is also the case in the 
song of Miriam, Num. 12. 1. It is 
not, perhaps, necessary to suppose 
that Deborah and Barak were the 
only singers on this occasion. The 
probability is, that it was composed 
by Deborah, and sung under her 
and Barak's direction by the as- 
sembled hosts of Israel, or by a choir 
of priests and Levites, shortly after 
the victory. The phrase ' on that 
day,' does not necessarily restrict us 
to the precise day of the battle, but 
according to Heb. usage may imply 
simply { about that time.' 

2. Praise ye the Lord. Heb. ' bless 
ye the Lord ;' i. e. by suitable ascrip* 
tions of praise and thanksgiving, v 
For theavenging of Israel. The inter- 
pretation of the original phrase is at- 
tended with great difficulties. With- 
out attempting to exhibit at length 
the various modes of rendering 
adopted by different commentators, 
it may be sufficient to remark, that 
the several ideas of delivering, of 
avenging, of commanding and lead- 
ing in war, have had their respec- 
tive advocates among them. We 
know of no guide to the true sense 
but that of prevailing usage, and 
even that is not easily ascertained. 
We believe, however, that it will be 
found by accurate analysis, that the 
leading idea of the verb sn£) is to 
free, to let loose, to let break away, 
as the locks of hair, when the head- 
gear is taken off, or a licentious peo- 
ple when the restraints of law and 
order are removed, and thence by 
natural derivation, to makenalced, to 
uncover, and also to exempt, to make 
one clear of. In nearly every in- 



230 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



3 d Hear, O ye kings ; give 
ear, O ye princes ; I, even I, 
will sing unto the Lord ; I will 

d Deut 32. 1, 3. Ps. 2. 10. 

stance in which the word occurs the 
idea of loosing, getting or setting 
free, exemption, is someway involv- 
ed, and perhaps the most correct 
rendering, in the present passage, 
would be For the freeing of freedoms, 
or, For the breaking away of emanci- 
pations, i. e. for the successful efforts 
of the people to extricate themselves 
from the yoke of their oppressors, 
praise ye the Lord. The predomin- 
ant import is that of .breaking away 
from bonds, and this idea falls in 
very naturally with that of the par- 
allel clause, viz. of offering them- 
selves willingly in order to effect 
their deliverance ; and as the act of 
a people in asserting their freedom, 
can hardly be conceived of as sepa- 
rate from that of punishing their op- 
pressors, it is probable that the sense 
of avenging has been in this way not 
unnaturally affixed by interpreters 
to the original term. The error, 
however, in our translation is in re- 
ferring directly to God, what is real- 
ly represented as the acting of the 
people. IT Of Israel. Heb. : in Is- 
rael ;' i. e. among the Israelites. 

3. Hear, O ye kings, &c. The 
kings and princes here addressed 
may be understood of the princes of 
Israel, and then it is merely a de- 
claration to them, that the prophetess 
is about to begin a song of triumph, 
in which it is implied that they 
should join. But as kings would 
seem to be too lofty a title to be ap- 
plied to the leaders and elders of Is- 
rael, e^en in the elevated style of 
poetry, the preferable interpretation 
is to regard it as an address to the 
kings and potentates of Canaan, 
summoning their attention to the 
song of triumph about to be celebrat- 
ed over them. The Greek version 
renders it, ' Hear, O kings, and give 
ear, O satraps;' the Chaldee, 'At- 
tend ye kings, who came to the war 
with Sisera, and ye rulers, who were 



sing praise to the Lord God of 
Israel. 

4 Lord, e when thou wentest 



e Deut. 33. 2. Ps. 68. 7. 



with Jabin, king of Canaan ;' which 
shows that they understood the 
words as referring to foreign princes, 
and thus the very same terms are 
used, Ps. 2. 2. The import of the 
latter clause is, that ' I, even I, a 
feeble woman, celebrate your over- 
throw,' and her leading drift is to 
admonish them, that however high 
and mighty they may deem them- 
selves, yet there is one above them 
with whom it is folly to contend, and 
to whom, they should be warned by 
Sisera's fate to submit without dar- 
ing hereafter to offer insult to a 
people, whose cause sooner or 'later 
omnipotence would plead. 

4. When thou wentest out of Seir. 
After declaring that Jehovah should 
be the object of her praise, the pro- 
phetess, by a sudden apostrophe ad- 
dresses him not as their present de- 
liverer, but as the God who had for- 
merly manifested his miraculous 
power in their behalf, while on the 
way from b'gypt to the land of pro- 
mise. By comparing the former 
signal displays of the divine majesty 
with the present, she would have 
her hearers infer that it was the same 
power that had now subdued their en- 
emies, which prostrated them then ; 
that it was the same goodness which 
had now restored to them the free 
enjoyment of their land, that had at 
first put them in possession of it. 
The phrases, ' when thou wentest 
out of Seir, and ' when thou march- 
edst out of the field Edom,' are 
merely an instance of poetic paral- 
lelism, Seir and Edom denoting the 
same country ; that is to say, the 
mountainous region stretching from 
the southern extremity of the Dead 
Sea southwards towards the Elan- 
itic gulf. Here, however, as well 
as Deut. 33. 2, it appears to.be taken 
in a wider sense as including mount 
Sinai, the scene of the giving of the 
law, and of the grand and awful dis- 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



231 



out of Seir, when thou march- 
edst out of the field of Edom, 
f the earth trembled, and the 
heavens dropped, the clouds also 
dropped water. 

f 2 Sam. 22. 8. Ps. 63. 8. Is. 64. 3. Hab. 3. 3, 10. 



plays of the majesty of Jehovah by 
which it was accompanied, to which 
Deborah here alludes. Not that her 
description, in this and the ensuing 
verse, is to be confined to the sublime 
spectacle witnessed on that occasion. 
The scope of her language seems to 
be to portray, in the most glowing 
and poetic imagery, the general 
course of the divine manifestations 
in behalf of Israel, the convulsions 
of nature and the consternation of 
the inhabitants, while the Most 
High was conducting his people 
miraculously through the desert to 
put them in possession of their pro- 
mised inheritance. These exhibi- 
tions of God's glory did, as it were, 
make the earth to tremble, the heav- 
ens to drop like snow before the sun, 
and the mountains to melt ; and ac- 
cordingly we find the same general 
imagery employed in other portions 
of inspired song, as Ps. 18. 8. — 68. 
8.— 144. 5. Deut. 33. 2. Is. 64. 
1 — 3. Hab. 3. 6, in some of which 
the present description is adopted 
almost word for word. It seems, in 
fact, to have been a customary be- 
ginning of Hebrew songs of triumph . 
5. The mountains melted. Heb. 
c flowed down ;' as if melted by the 
flames in which, we learn Ex. 19. 
18, that the sacred mountain was en- 
veloped, so that it ran down in 
streams. Others, from the general 
usage of the original, suppose that 
allusion is had to tremendous storms 
of rain, which poured down the 
mountain sides in such torrents, 
bearing soil, rocks, and trees with 
them, that the mountains themselves 
might be figuratively said to flow 
down. It does not appear very ob- 
vious, however, how this can apply 
to mount Sinai, where fire and not 
water was the predominant element. 
It is worthy of remark, in regard to 



5 e The mountains melted 
from before the Lord, even 
h that Sinai from before the Lord 
God of Israel. 

6 In the days of iShamgar 

g Dcut. 4. 11. Ps. 97. 5. hEx. 19. 18. i ch. 3. 31. 



this expression, that with the excep- 
tion of the Vulgate, which has dif~ 
flnxerunt, floioed, all the ancient ver- 
sions take the original from another 
root (JJa instead of ^33) and render 
it were shaken, agitated, made to 
tremble. Thus the Gr., Chal., Arab., 
and Syr., and this rendering is con- 
firmed by Is. 64. 1, 3, 'that the 
mountains might floiv down; 7 where 
the Heb. (1^:) undoubtedly signi- 
fies to quake, though our English 
version, contrary to all authority, 
gives it the sense of melting. See 
Gesenius on the above roots. 

6. In thedaysofShamgar. After thus 
celebrating the majesty of Jehovah 
in his former appearances, the pro- 
phetess, in order to give her people 
a livelier sense of their deliverance, 
and excite them to greater thankful- 
ness, turns to depict the forlorn and 
degraded state to which Israel had 
previously been reduced ; their high- 
ways deserted; their villages de- 
populated ; their cities blocked up ; 
their country overrun with the en- 
emies' soldiers ; themselves disarm- 
ed and dispirited, helpless and hope- 
less, till it pleased God to look upon 
them with compassion, and raise up 
Deborah for a deliverer. IT In the 
days of Jael. She is mentioned by 
way of honorable testimonial by the 
side of a distinguished man, and in 
connection with an important epoch, 
because from her recent achieve- 
ment, she no doubt at this time stood 
very conspicuous before the eyes of 
the nation. Still though these were 
illustrious characters, yet no com- 
plete deliverance was effected for Is- 
rael till Deborah arose. H The 
his hit- ays were unoccupied. Heb. 
1 the highways ceased.' That is; 
ceased to be occupied ; they were 
abandoned by travellers, on account 
of their being beset by plundering 



232 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



the son of Anath, in the days of 
k Jael, ] the highways were un- 
occupied, and the travellers 
walked through by-ways. 
7 The inhabitants of the vil- 



k ch. 4. 17. 1 Lev. 
Lam. I. 4. & 4. 18. 



5. 22. 2 Chr. 15. 5. Is. 33. 8. 



hordes of their enemies. The same 
idea is expressed Is. 33. 8, ' The 
highways lie waste, the way-faring 
man ceaseth. 1 IT Travellers. Heb. 
'walkers of paths.' The original 
for ' paths,' usually means an elevat- 
ed, beaten road. Here it seems to de- 
signate the open public roads, in 
distinction from the obscure and 
crooked by-ways which travellers 
were now compelled to take. 

7. The inhabitants of the villages 
ceased. Heb. ' the village ceased ;' 
col. sing, for plur. In other words, 
the villages were deserted. The 
tillers of the soil scattered in villages 
over the country were obliged to for- 
sake their farms and houses, and 
seek shelter for themselves in walled 
cities and fortified places. Chald. 
c the unwalled towns were desolate.' 
1 There are roads in these countries, 
but it is very easy to turn out of 
them, and go to a place by winding 
about over the lands, when that is 
thought safer. The account Bishop 
Pococke gives of the manner in 
which the Arab, under whose care 
he had put himself, conducted him 
to Jerusalem, illustrates this with 
pertinency, which his lordship tells 
us was by night, and not by the high- 
road, but through the fields : ' and I 
observed,' says he, ' that he avoided 
as much as he could going near any 
village or encampment, and some- 
times stood still, as I thought, to 
hearken. 5 Just in that manner peo- 
ple were obliged to travel in Judea, 
in thejdays of Shamgar and Jael.' 
Harmer. IT A mother in Israel. A 
benefactress; so termed from her 
services towards her people. As a 
deliverer of his country is called the 
father of it, so Deborah is here call- 
ed a mother in Israel. 

8. They chose new gods. Strange 



lages ceased, they ceased in Is- 
rael, until that I Deborah arose, 
that I arose m a mother in Israel. 
8 They "chose new gods ; 
then was war in the gates : 

m Is. 49. 23. n Deut. 32. 16. ch. 2. 12, 17. 



or foreign gods ; that is, they addict- 
ed themselves to idolatry. They 
not only submitted to it when forced 
upon them, but they chose it. Com- 
pare Deut. 32. 17, ' They sacrificed 
unto devils, and not to God ; to gods 
whom they knew not, to new gods 
thai came neivly up, whom your fa- 
thers knew not.' This was the pro- 
curing cause of all their trouble. 
They forsook God, and God forsook 
them. IT Then was war in the gates. 
Heb. ' a besieging of the gates ;' or, 
as Kimchi renders it, ' a besieger 
or assaulter of the gates.' Chal. 
' the nations came against them and 
expelled them from their cities.' 
The evident implication is, that 
when they lapsed into idolatry they 
involved themselves in every species 
of calamity, and were harassed with 
wars within the precincts of their 
towns and cities. As the gates, 
moreover, were the places where 
their courts of judicature were held, 
the continual incursions of the en- 
emy deprived the magistrate of the 
dignity, and the people of the benefit 
of government. There being no 
peace to him that went or him that 
came in, the stated administration of 
justice was effectually broken up. 
l\Was there a shield or spear seen 
among forty thousand of Israel ? An 
interrogation strongly implying a 
negative. To such a state were they 
reduced that there was scarcely a 
shield or spear seen among 40,000 
Israelites. The number specified is 
not to be considered as including 
the whole military force of Israel, 
but the speaker simply gives a round 
number, and by poetical amplifica- 
tion a very large one, among whom 
no arms were to be found ; in order to 
indicate more strongly the destitu- 
tion of the Israelites in this respect. 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



233 



°was there a shield or spear 
seen among forty thousand in Is- 
rael? 

9 My heart is toward the gov- 
ernors of Israel that PofTered 

o So 1 Sam. 13. 19, 22. ch. 4. 3. p Ten 2. 



From 1 Sam. 13. 19 — 22, some have 
inferred that their enemies had ac- 
tually disarmed the subject tribes, 
and that it was to this that their des- 
titution was owing. But this hypo- 
thesis is but little consonant with 
intrinsic probability, or with other 
circumstances alluded to in the nar- 
rative. Barak is said ch. 4. 6, 10, 
to have taken 10,000 men with him 
to mount Tabor, and who will sup- 
pose that they went thither unpro- 
vided with arms 1 especially when 
we are informed, v. 15, 16, that the 
hosts of Sisera perished c with the 
edge of the sword before Barak,' so 
there was not a man left. The ex- 
pression of Deborah therefore is 
merely a poetic hyperbole. 

9. My heart is toward the gover- 
nors, &c. Heb. 'the law-givers.' 
After describing the bondage of Is- 
rael, and its effects upon the courage 
of the people, the prophetess, by a 
natural transition, repeats her excla- 
mations of gratitude to the princes 
and the people, that they had at 
length risen and triumphed. Her 
heart was especially drawn out in 
sentiments of love and honor to- 
wards'those heads of the tribes, who 
had so nobly come forward in the 
hour of need, and by their example 
aroused and stimulated their coun- 
trymen to throw off the yoke. They 
are called ' lawgivers*' not from 
their enacting new laws, which was 
never done in Israel, but from their 
giving sentence in causes that came 
before them, and administering jus- 
tice generally. IT Bless ye the Lord. 
As it was the divine prompting that 
moved the leaders to the enterprise, 
she would not, in bestowing her com- 
mendations upon the instruments, 
lose sight of the Author of the 
blessing, and therefore calls upon 



themselves willingly among the 
people : Bless ye the Lord. 

10 <JSpeak, ye r that ride on 
white asses, s ye that sit in judg- 
ment and walk by the way. 



q Ps. 165. 2. & 145. 5. 
s Ps. 107. 32. 



r ch. 10. 4. & 12. 14. 



the people at large to join her in a 
grateful song of praise. 

10. Speak. Rather, Heb. 'med- 
itate,' i. e. rehearse, celebrate, a song 
of praise. IT That ride on white 
asses. Judea is a country but little 
favorable to the production of horses, 
instead of which, asses were ancient- 
ly in general use. Of these such as 
were of a whitish color were prob- 
ably the most rare and costly, and 
therefore were used only by eminent 
persons. Some have supposed that 
they were so called from the white 
garments, or caparisons spread over 
them; but it appears unnatural to 
ascribe the color of a covering to 
the creature that wears it. We do 
not call a man white or black, be- 
cause he happens to be dressed in 
vestments of white or black cloth ; 
neither did the Hebrews. The ex- 
pression naturally suggests the color 
of the animal itself, not of its trap- 
pings, and this is confirmed by the 
reports of travellers. ' White asses, 
according to Morier, come from 
Arabia ; their scarcity makes them 
valuable, and gives them conse- 
quence. The men of the law count 
it a dignity, and suited to their 
character, to ride on asses of this 
color. As the Hebrews always ap- 
peared in white garments at their 
public festivals and on days of re- 
joicing, or when the courts of jus- 
tice were held; so, they naturally 
preferred white asses, because the 
color suited the occasion, and be- 
cause asses of this color being more 
rare and costly, were more coveted 
by the great and wealthy. The 
same view is taken of this question 
by Lewis, who says, the asses in 
Judea, g were commonly of a red 
color ; and therefore white asses 
were highly valued, and used by 



234 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



11 They that are delivered 
from the noise of urchers in the 
places of drawing water, there 
shall they rehearse the t righte- 
ous acts of the Lord, even the 



persons of superior note and qual- 
ity. 5 5 Paxton. Compare ch. 12, 14. 
Gesenius remarks that the original 
term is not perhaps to be understood 
as signifying a pure white, but a 
light reddish color with white spots, 
as asses entirely white are rarely if 
ever found. The white color, it is 
well known, is highly prized by the 
Orientals, whether in asses, camels, 
or elephants, and such are usually 
the property of princes. IT Ye tkat 
sit in judgment. So rendered by 
several of the older versions, but the 
phrase in the original is exceeding- 
ly difficult of interpretation. Later 
commentators, with much plausibi- 
lity, derive the word from a root sig- 
nifying to extend, to spread out, and 
understand it of carpets, coverings, 
or the large outer garments of the 
Hebrews, which were frequently 
spread out and used for sleeping up- 
on at night. Accordingly Prof. 
Robinson translates the clause, ' Ye 
that recline on splendid carpets.' 
But after all the researches of philo- 
logists, some doubt will still remain 
as to the true import of the original. 
IT Ye that walk by the way. Ye who 
can safely travel in the public high- 
ways, now no longer infested by 
prowling banditti. The allusion is 
perhaps to traffickers of various de- 
scriptions, or to the humbler classes, 
who were much upon the public 
roads, but who seldom rode ; so that 
the poet's invocation is to the nobles, 
the wealthy, and the poor, oi in other 
words to the whole nation, to join 
in the song of triumph. They were 
now, as the fruits of the recent vic- 
tory, enjoying a happy security, di- 
rectly the reverse of their former 
oppressed and calamitous condition, 
and nothing was more proper than 
that they should celebrate in thank- 
ful strains the praises of their divine 



righteous acts toward the inhab- 
itants of his villages in Israel: 
then shall the people of the 
Lord go down to the gates. 
12 u A wake, awake, Debo- 

u Pi. 57. 8. 

deliverer. It may be remarked that 
the Syr. and Arab, versions render 
the two clauses by, 'Ye that sit at 
home, and ye that walk by the way.' 
11. From the noise of the archers 
in the places of drawing water. Heb. 

the voice of the dividers at the water- 
ing-troughs. It would be easy, but 
of little use, to heap together an im- 
mense variety of renderings, propo* 
sed by different expositors, of this 
very perplexing passage. The diffi- 
culty arises principally from the 
word E^v^nto translated ' archers,' 
which occurs only here, and of 
which lexicographers are unable to 
determine the exact root. If it be a 
denominative from yn an arroiv its. 
meaning here is undoubtedly • arch- 
ers,' but if, as most modern philolo- 
gists contend, it comes from the verb 
f 2n, it has the import of dividing^ 
although Gesenius says that yn an 
arrow comes from this root, and is so 
called from its dividing or cleaving 
the air. According tolhis interpre- 
tation, the D^SZ^nto ar e either the 
victorious warriors returning laden 
with booty and halting at the water- 
ing places to divide the spoil with 
songs of rejoicing, or the shepherds 
who can now with cheerful carols, 
securely drive their flocks and herds 
to water, dividing, separating, or 
marshalling them as they please. 
Which of these two senses is the 
correct one it is not perhaps possible 
absolutely to determine. Either 
will suit well the connection, provi- 
ded the original for ' from 5 be ren- 
dered, as it properly may, ' at,' ' for,* 
' on account of.' The prophetess 
had just called upon all the people to 
join in a song, and she now declares 
the occasion; 'Praise the Lord for 
or qu account of the voice, the joyful 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



235 



rah ; awake, awake, utter a 
song : arise, Barak, and x lead 

xPs. 63. 18. 



cry, of those who divide at the wa- 
tering places.' It may be further re- 
marked by way of illustration, of 
the words, that as wells were very 
scarce in every part of the East, rob- 
bers and banditti, generally took 
their stations near tanks, pools, and 
springs, in order that they might sud- 
denly fall upon those who came to 
drink ; and when the country was 
badly governed, annoyances of this 
kind were very frequent. ' In open, 
unprotected lands of the East, the 
watering places are at this day the 
scenes of continual conflict and op- 
pression. To such places the neces- 
sity for water conducts different peo- 
ple, who cannot any where meet in 
peace. These parties of hostile tribes 
fall in with each other, and quarrel 
and fight ; and thither the natives of 
the wilds resort to plunder the par- 
ties of travellers and merchants who 
come in search of water. In the 
deserts of Syria and Arabia, natives 
and strangers are thus annoyed near 
the wells. This therefore is the 
principal reason of rcar, — the neigh- 
borhoods of wells being the principal 
seats of war and depredation in those 
countries. Travellers also knowing 
that such tribes are encamped near, 
or are likely to visit the wells, often 
dread to approach them, in the fear 
of being plundered, if not also killed. 
For this reason we have known par- 
ties of travellers, that were reduced 
to almost the last extremity for want 
of water in the parehed deserts, ob- 
liged to avoid the places where their 
wants might be satisfied, from hav- 
ing heard that parties of Arabs were 
encamped in the neighborhood : and 
we have heard of others who from 
the same cause were obliged to go 
one or two days' journey out of their 
way, to one watering place, in pre- 
ference to another that lay directly 
in their way. No travellers, unless 
in great force, dare encamp near a 
well, however pleasant and desira- 
ble it might be, from the fear of dis- 



thy captivity, captive, thou son 
of Abinoam. 



agreeable visitors. They water their 
cattle, and replenish their water- 
skins in all haste, and then, go and 
encamp at a distance from any roads 
leading to the w T ell. Dr. Shaw men- 
lions a beautiful rill in Barbary, 
which is received into a large basin, 
called Shrub we Krub ; that is, Drink 
and away, from the great danger of 
meeting there with robbers and as- 
sassins. With equal propriety, and 
for the same reason, almost every 
Oriental watering-place might be 
called Shrub we Krub. 3 Pict. Bible. 
The victory now gained put the 
whole country under their own gov- 
ernment, and cleansed the land of 
these marauders. Instead of such 
danger and insecurity, Deborah 
here intimates that they may sit 
down unmolested at the places of 
drawing water, and there rehearse 
the righteous acts of the Lord; the 
land being now in peace, and order 
and good government every where 
restored. U Go down to the gates. 
Shall repossess themselves of the ci- 
ties and walled villages from which 
they had been expelled by their ene- 
mies; they shall henceforth have 
free access either in or out of the 
gates, as their occasions might re- 
quire ; and as it is well known that 
the gate was the place of judgment 
in the East, they should again resort 
in peace and safety to the stations 
w T here justice was administered. 

12. Awake, awake, Deborah, &c. 
The prophetess here turns to her- 
self and Barak, the leaders and he- 
roes of the triumph, in a tone of an- 
imated appeal and excitation. She 
calls upon herself to dictate a strain 
descriptive of the preparation and 
the conflict; and on Barak to lead 
forth his captives and display them 
in triumph before his countrymen. 
That such appeals to one's self are 
very common in Hebrew poetry is 
obvious from Ps. 42. 6, 12.— 103. 1 
— 5. — 104. 1, and elsewhere. H 
Lead thy captivity captive. Lead 



236 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



13 Then he made him that 
remaineth ^have dominion over 
the nobles among the people : 
the Lord made me have domin- 
ion over the mighty. 

14 z Out of Ephraim was 

y Ps. 49. 14. z ch. 3. 27. 



those captive who before held thee 
in captivity. Comp. Ps. 68. 19. Eph. 
4.8. 

13. Made him that remained, &c. 
That is, then he (the Lord) made 
the dispirited remnant of the Israel- 
ites, who had survived the oppres- 
sion of their enemies, to obtain the 
ascendancy over the nobles or chief- 
tains of the people of Canaan, and 
made me, who am but a feeble wo- 
man, to have dominion over the 
mighty. 

14. Out of Ephraim was there a 
root of them against Amalek. The 
poetess begins here to enumerate 
and review the tribes which had 
joined the standard of Barak. In 
the account of this matter ch. 4. 10, 
mention is made only of the tribes 
of Zebulun and Naphtali, but from 
the tenor of the song it is obvious 
that several other tribes, on hearing 
of the exigency of their brethren, 
immediately raised a levy and vol- 
unteered to go to their assistance. 
For this ready and generous proffer 
of their services, Deborah pays to 
them the first tribute of her thanks. 
The opening sentence of her com- 
mendation quoted above is replete 
with difficulty. Without adverting 
to the various renderings which 
have been proposed both by Jewish 
and Christian interpreters,* we shall 
give that which seems on the whole 
the most probable. The clause is 
undoubtedly elliptical, and may be 
thus supplied; — 'Out of Ephraim 
(came those) whose dwelling is in 
Amalek.' The original for 'root' 
we take to be a poetic expression for 
a fixed firmly — established seat or 
dwelling, just as nations taking up 
their abode in a land are said to be 
planted in it, to take root in it, as Is. 



there a root of them a against 
Amalek ; after thee, Benjamin, . 
among thy people ; out of b Ma- 
chir came down governors, and 
out of Zebulun they that handle 
the pen of the writer. 

a ch. 3. 13. b Num. 32. 39, 40. 

27. 6, ' He shall cause them that 
come of Jacob to take root. 7 Comp. 
Ps. 80. 8, 9. Job. 5. 3. If it be ask- 
ed how Ephraim could be said to 
have dwelt or taken root in Amalek, 
since it is well known that the Am- 
alekites inhabited the country to the 
south of Palestine between mount 
Seir and Egypt, the answer is drawn 
from ch. 12. 15, where it is said that 
' Abdon was buried in the land of 
Ephraim, in the mount of the Amale- 
kites? From this iris to be inferred 
that a colony of this people, who 
were related to the Kenites, had for- 
merly migrated into the interior of 
the country, and maintained itself 
among the Israelites of the tribe of 
Ephraim. In this way it could be 
said, that the Ephraimites, whose 
root, i. e. foundation, dwelling place, 
was among the Amalekites, on the 
mountain of that name, came forth 
to the war. ir After thee, Benjamin, 
among thy people. Rather, c After 
thee, (O Ephraim, came) Benjamin, 
among thy peoples,' i. e. thy forces, 
thy hosts. By a sudden change of 
persons, common to the poetic style, 
Ephraim is here addressed as pre- 
sent, and Benjamin, whose quota of 
men was probably small, is spoken 
of as being incorporated with it, in- 
stead of forming a distinct corps by 
itself. IT Out of Machir came down 
governors. Machir was the son of 
Manasseh, and the father of Gilead, 
Gen. 50. 23, Num. 27. 1, and is here 
put for the tribe of Manasseh, that 
is, the half of that tribe which dwelt 
on the west of Jordan. The original 
for ' governors,' (t^ppnfr) is in ef- 
fect the same with o^ppn lawgiv- 
ers, v. 9, and is to be understood of 
military leaders, expert and valiant 
chieftains, who fc promptly took the 



A. C. 1296.] CHAPTER V. 

15 And the princes of Issa- 
char were with Deborah ; even 



237 



field at the head of their troops. H 
Out of 2Zebulun they that handle the 
pen of the writer. There is some- 
thing peculiarly incongruous in the 
idea of penmen coming down to a 
battle, nor is the rendering in fact 
warranted by the original. The 
Heb. term for ' handle, 5 (fcVDEJfa) is 
the same with that occurring ch. 4. 6, 
respecting the tribes of Zebulun and 
Naphtali, and w T hich we there en- 
deavored to show, signified to draw 
in the sense of enlisting. We take 
it in the same sense here ; implying 
those, who as the emissaries of Ba- 
rak, succeeded in drawing after 
them recruits. As to the instrument 
employed on this occasion, though 
our translators have rendered the 
Heb. t3M by ' pen,' yet the word 
has no where else that signification 
throughout the Scriptures. Its genu- 
ine meaning is a rod, staff, or wand, 
and instead of the ' pen of the wri- 
ter,' the correct version undoubtedly 
is, ' with the rod of the numberer.' 
A definite number of men (10,000) 
were by Deborah's orders, ch. 4. 6, 
to be levied from these two tribes, 
and the doing of this is described by 
a metaphor, taken from the custom 
of shepherds in numbering, separat- 
ing, or selecting their sheep by 
means of a rod besmeared with 
paint, with which they marked every 
fifth, tenth, or twentieth, as the case 
might be, as they came out of the 
outlet of their enclosure. See the 
process more particularly described 
in the note on Levit. 27. 32. 

15. The princes of Issachar were 
with Deborah. Or, Heb. ' my princes 
in Issachar were with Deborah.' 
She calls them ' my princes,' from 
the grateful esteem with which their 
services had inspired her. IT Even 
Issachar, and also Barak. Rather, 
Heb. ' and Issachar, in like manner 
as Barak;' i. e. Issachar was equal- 
ly prompt, ardent, and valiant in the 
good cause ; he marched forth with 
equal alacrity. H Was sent on foot 
21 



Issachar, and also c Barak : he 
was sent on foot into the valley. 

c ch. 4. 14. 

into the valley. Heb. ' was sent with 
his feet.' See note on ch. 4. 10, 14, 
The meaning we suppose to be that, 
when Barak was ordered to charge 
down the declivity of Tabor towards 
the valley, the men of Issachar fol- 
lowed with as much promptitude, 
as if all their feet had pertained to 
their leader's body. It may be 
remarked that the original word, 
rendered ' valley,' signifies also a 
low level plain, and thus the known, 
topography of the place requires that 
it should be rendered here. They 
descended from mount Tabor into 
the plain of Esdraelon . — At this point 
a transition is made to a new theme 
in the inspired song ; viz. a rebuke 
of the recreant tribes, who refused 
to join their brethren and flock to 
the standard of Barak ; and here 
v. 16, should properly begin. ^For 
the divisions of Reuben. Heb. ' in or 
among the divisions.' It is impos- 
sible to speak with confidence of the 
exact import of the word, here ren- 
dered ' divisions.' It is perhaps de- 
signedly left ambiguous,, as is not 
unusual with Scripture phrases, in 
order that it may be taken in great- 
er latitude and fullness of meaning, 
and include the various senses of 
which it is susceptible. By some it 
is understood of the local division of 
Reuben from the rest [of the tribes 
by the Jordan and other rivers ; by 
others, of the classes or ranks into 
which the tribe was divided; and 
by others still, of the divided counsels, 
the conflicting opinions, of the Reu- 
benites respecting the propriety of 
taking np arms on the occasion. 
The root from which the original 
is derived, signifies to divide, to 
cleave, and the present term occurs 
Job 20. 17, in the sense of water- 
courses, or streams flowing in chan- 
nels. The most probable interpre- 
tation, therefore, if we mistake not, 
is that of Schnurrer and others, who 
by the ' divisions of Reuben,' under- 
stand the ' streams of Reuben ;' i. e. 



238 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



For the divisions of Reuben 
there were great thoughts of 
heart. 

16 Why abodest thou d among 
the sheep-folds, to hear the 



the well-watered country of Reuben, 
a region fertilized by numerous 
creeks and small rivers. It will be 
recollected that Reuben dwelt on the 
east of Jordan and the Dead Sea, 
from the river Arnon northwards, 
and^ possessed part of the plain of 
the Jordan which, Gen. 13. 10, was 
* every where well watered,;' a re- 
gion expressly celebrated, Num. 32. 
1, for its rich pasturage, which ne- 
cessarily implies the presence of 
springs and streams. After all, if 
any one is inclined to construe the 
phrase in a pregnant sense as com- 
prising all the above senses of ' divi- 
sions,' we have no objections to urge 
against it, nor do we hesitate to be- 
lieve that a similar mode of solving 
Scripture difficulties is in many in- 
stances the true one. IF Great 
thoughts of heart. The original for 
c thoughts,' signifies resolving s, de- 
cisions, decrees, and the purport of 
the clause perhaps is, that the Reu- 
benites at first heroically resolved to 
join their countrymen, but after- 
wards recanted their purpose, and 
meanly staid at home. This con- 
duct the prophetess first describes in 
a tone of apparent praise, which by 
a poetical artifice is converted into 
an ironical and cutting sarcasm. 
She intimates that their original re- 
solution and purpose was magnani- 
mous ; inquires why it was not ful- 
filled ; why they preferred to remain 
at home and listen to the piping of 
the herdsmen? She then repeats in 
effect her first sentence of approba- 
tion ; but in the ensuing verse, by 
the change of a single letter, (^pn 
for ppn revolvings for resolvings) 
she pronounces their noble resolu- 
tion, to have been mere empty delib- 
eration amounting to nothing. 

16. Why abodest thou among the 
sheep-folds? Bishop Horsley ren- 



bleatings of the flocks ? For the 
divisions of Reuben there were 
great searchings of heart. 

17 e Gilead abode beyond 
Jordan : and why did Dan re- 

e See Josh. 13. 25, 31. 

ders the original by ' hillocks,' in- 
stead of ' sheep-folds,' and we are 
satisfied that he, of all other inter- 
preters, has come nearest to the 
genuine scope of the speaker. He 
remarks, that the noun E^n&TDte 
is from the root ^xo t° s ^ c ^ % Vt 
to be prominent, and it is in the 
dual form. Hence the substan- 
tive may signify any gibbosity or 
prominence. It is used in Jacob's 
last words, to signify the two pan- 
niers of a laden ass lying down, and 
those panniers are the ridges of 
hills which were the boundaries of 
his territories. In like manner, we 
think, it is to be taken, here to sig- 
nify ' hills in double parallel ridges,' 
Reuben is asked why he abode be- 
tween E^fiBEJfc to hear the bleatings 
of the flocks. And where shall any 
one abide to hear the bleatings of 
the flocks, but among hills, where 
flocks range ? See also note on Gen. 
49. 14. It isjstill possible that there 
may have been such a similarity in 
form between the stalls, or ranges 
of the Syrian folds or pinfolds for 
flocks, and parallel ranges of hills, 
as to render the same term appli- 
cable to both, so that the present 
translation does not err widely from 
the truth. But the construction of 
Horsley, given above, we think de- 
cidedly preferable to any other. IT 
To hear the bleatings of the flocks. 
Heb. ' the whistlings or pipings of 
the flock ;' i. e. of the shepherds who 
play on the pipe while guarding 
their flocks. IF Great scearchings 
of heart. That is, great delibera- 
tions or consultations, but no result. 
They were forward in counsel and 
debate, but not in action j a severe 
and sarcastic irony. 

17. Gilead abode beyond Jordan. 
That is, the Gadites, who possessed 
part of Gilead, Josh. 13. 24, 25. 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



239 



main in ships ? f Asher continu- 
ed on the sea shore, and abode 
in his breaches. 

18 sZebulun and Naphtali 
were a people that jeoparded 



f Josh. 19.29,31. 



gch. 4. 10. 



Perhaps a part of the half tribe of 
Manasseh is included under the 
term. The verb pa to abide, to 
tabernacle, necessarily here implies 
to dwell at ease, quietly, as Ps. 55. 6, 
1 O that I had wings like a dove ! for 
then would I fly away, and be at rest, 
(Heb. p©& dvjell quietly.) TT Why 
did Dan remain in ships ? Why was 
Dan so much intent upon his ships 
and merchandize ? This was one 
of the maritime tribes. Its limits 
included the haven of Joppa (Jaffa), 
and also the coast farther south. 
But Zebulun was also c a haven for 
ships,' a seafaring tribe, and yet was 
forward and active in this expedi- 
tion. IT Asher continued on the sea- 
shore. The same reproach is here 
brought against Asher, that he re- 
mained on his coasts. His lot ex- 
tended along the Mediterranean, 
contiguous to Zebulun and Naph- 
tali, so that if disposed he might 
easily have succored his brethren. 
But he also had an excuse for stay- 
ing at home. The original cnn 
shore, comes from tfcftto wear away, 
and is applied to a coast, inasmuch 
as this is continually wearing away 
by the action of the water. ^ Abode 
in his breaches. Heb. fc^E^iBto rents, 
ruptures, fissures, from *tr^ to rend, 
implying probably the bays, inlets, 
and havens, lying along a rugged 
and broken coast. The celebrated 
harbor of Accoor Ptolemais (Acre) 
lay in the territory of Asher. Ach- 
zib also and Tyre are mentioned as 
falling within the limits of this tribe, 
Josh. 19.29. The Chal. paraphrase 
gives a different turn to this clause ; 
— ' The house of Asher, on the mar- 
gin of the sea, dwelt in the broken 
down cities of the Gentiles, which 
thev rebuilt and inhabited.' The 



their lives unto the death in the 
high places of the field. 

19 The kings came and 
fought, then fought the kings of 
Canaan in Taanach by the wa- 



above rendering, however, is to be 
preferred. 

18. Jeoparded their lives unto the 
death. Heb. ' despised, reproached, 
or contemned;' i. e. they rushed 
fearless upon danger and death. 
These tribes from being the more 
immediate sufferers from Jabin's 
oppression, were, doubtless, the most 
eager to throw off the yoke of bon- 
dage, and would naturally rise in 
greater numbers and exhibit a more 
determined valor. IT In the high 
places of the field. Heb. ' the heights 
of the field. 5 Either spoken, in re- 
ference to mount Tabor, on which 
the army of Israel at first encamped, 
or poetically taken for the most dan- 
gerous places of the field. 

19. The kings came and fought. 
The*poetess now proceeds todescribe 
the battle. In the preceding chapter 
mention is made of a single king 
only, Jabin, as coming against Is- 
rael, but, from the use of the plural 
here, and from the probabilities of 
the case, it is to be inferred that 
other allied kings took the field with 
Sisera. We are expressly informed, 
Josh. 11. 10, that Hazor, where Ja- 
bin reigned, was ' before-time the 
head' of numerous petty principal- 
ities, and these, it may be supposed, 
were confederate with him on this 
occasion. Yet it is possible that, in 
the lofty style of poetry, ' kings' here 
may be simply equivalent to warlike 
leaders and champions } the heroes 
and potent personages at the head of 
the Canaanitish forces. IT/w. Taan- 
ach, by the waters of Megiddo. These 
two places, which are'usually men- 
tioned together, lay within the limits 
of the plain of Esdraelon, and in the 
immediate vicinity of the river Ki- 
shon. Indeed, it is scarcely to be 
questioned that by the ' waters of 



240 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



ters of Megiddo ; h they took no 
gain of money. 

20 iThey fought from heav- 

h ch. 4. 16. Ps. 44. 12. See ver. 30. i See Josh. 
10. U Ps. 77. 17, 18. 



Megiddo,' is to be understood the 
stream Kishon, in that part of its 
course. IT They took no gain of 
money. They obtained no spoil or 
booty; they were utterly disappoint- 
ed in their expectations. The ori- 
ginal, if rendered literally, is very 
emphatic ; £ not a piece, coin, or 
particle of silver did they take.' 
Schmid, however, among the most 
acute and judicious of commenta- 
tators, understands the words of the 
ardor and overweening confidence 
with which the Canaanites fought. 
They entered the field so sanguine 
of success, they resolved not to take 
the least ransom for the Israelites, 
either for life or liberty. Thinking 
it possible that Barak might, on see- 
ing the formidable power arrayed 
against him, repent of his under- 
taking and wish to purchase peace 
by money; these words, according 
to the critic above mentioned, ex- 
press their determination not to lis- 
ten for a moment to any terms of 
treaty, but to cut them all off without 
mercy. This construction does no 
violence to the original, and is liable 
to no serious objection. Gr. ' they 
took no gift of silver.' Ohal. ( they 
willed not riches of silver;' i. e. 
they determined to reject or refuse 
the most tempting bribes. Thus Is. 
13. 17, ( Behold, I will stir up the 
Medes against them, which shall not 
regard silver ; and as for gold, they 
shall not delight in it? i. e. they 
shall not be prevailed upon to spare, 
by the prospect of fee or reward. 

20. They fought from heaven. As 
the expression is indefinite, it may 
be considered as equivalent to say- 
ing, that a supernatural power was 
engaged against them ; they had to 
contend not only with foes on earth, 
but with foes in heaven. Omnipo- 
tence armed the elements against 
them. A parallel idea is expressed 
in the words that follow. IT The 



en ; k the stars in their courses 
fought against Sisera. 

21 iThe river of Kishon 



stars in their courses fought against 
Sisera. Or, Heb. i the stars from 
their orbits fought,' &c., lit. 'from 
their elevations, their exaltations, 
their highways.' Chal. ' from the 
place where the stars go forth, war 
was waged against Sisera.' Prob- 
ably nothing more than a highly 
rhetorical or poetical expression for 
the adverse influence of the atmosphe- 
ric elements, the rains, winds, thun- 
ders, and lightnings, which from 
ch. 4. 15, appear to have been super- 
naturally excited on this occasion. 
See the extract from Josephus, note 
on ch. 4. 15. The stars are here the 
host of heaven, and this is but an- 
other phrase for heaven itself; the 
heavens fought against Sisera. 

21. Kishon. This river takes its 
rise in the valley of Jezreel, near the 
foot of mount Tabor, and after run- 
ning westward, with a great variety 
of turnings and windings, through, 
the plain of Esdraelon, falls into the 
Mediterranean at the southeast cor- 
ner of the bay of Acre. c In travel- 
ling,' says Shaw, c under the south- 
east brow of Carmel, I had an op- 
portunity of seeing the sources of 
the river Kishon, three or four of 
which lie within less than a furlong 
of each other, and are called ' Ras 
el Kishon,' or, the head of the Kishon* 
These alone, without the lesser con- 
tributions nearer the sea, discharge 
water enough to form a river half 
as big as the Isis. During likewise 
the rainy season, all the water which 
falls on the eastern side of the moun* 
tain, or upon the rising ground to 
the southward, empties itself into it 
in a number of torrents, at which 
conjunctures it overfloivs its banks, 
acquires a wonderful rapidity, and 
carries all before iV When Maun- 
drell crossed this stream on his way 
to Jerusalem, its waters were low 
and inconsiderable ; but in passing 
along the side of the plain, he ob- 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



241 



swept them away, that ancient 
river, the river Kishon. O my 
soul thou hast trodden down 
strength. 

served the traets of many tributary- 
rivulets falling down into it from 
the mountains, by which it must be 
greatly swelled in the rainy season. 
At the time of the battle here de- 
scribed, it-was undoubtedly in this 
condition— swollen to a deep and 
impetuous torrent, sweeping away 
every thing within its reach. IF 
That ancient river. The reason of 
this epithet is not obvious. The 
Gr. renders it, ' the stream of the 
ancients, or of antiquities.' The 
Chal. ' the river in which happened 
signs and great deeds to Israel from 
ancient times. ' The root tnp pro- 
perly implies the idea of precedency, 
or priority, whether in point of time 
or place, and hence its derivatives 
obtain the sense of either ' antiquity,' 
or ' the east,' which is always spok- 
en of as lying before all other coun- 
tries. ' The river of antiquities,' is 
undoubtedly the most exact render- 
ing, and the import may be that it 
was a river about which the divine 
counsels were exercised of old ; it was 
a stream of ancient designation, one 
which God designed to make illus- 
trious by this and, perhaps, other 
similar events ; for the plain of Es- 
draelon, through which it runs, is 
the most famous battle-ground of the 
whole territory of Palestine. It was 
the scene of the conflict of Gideon 
and the Midianites, of Saul and the 
Philistines, of the Israelites and the 
Syrians, 1 Kings 20. 26, and of Josi- 
ah and the Egyptians. It has in fact 
been a ehosen place for encampment, 
in every contest carried on in the 
Holy Land, from the days of Ne- 
buchadnezzar to the time of the 
Crusaders, and thence down to that 
of the modern Napoleon, who here 
sustained the attack of the whole 
Syrian army. 'Jews, Gentiles, Sar- 
acens, Egyptians, Persians, Druses, 
Turks, Arabs, Christian Crusaders, 
and anti-christian Frenchmen — war- 
21* 



22 Then were the horse- 
hoofs broken by the means oF 
the prancings, the prancings of 
their mighty ones. 

riors out of every nation under heav- 
en, have pitched their tents in the 
plain of Esdraelon, and have beheld 
the various banners of their nations 
wet with the dews of Tabor and 
Hermon.' It may also be remark- 
ed, that if the predicted 'battle of 
Armageddon,' Rev. 16. 16, denote a 
literal conflict, destined hereafter to 
take place, there is every probability 
that this is to be its scene ; for here 
lies Megiddo, to which allusion is 
had in the name ' Armageddon,' and 
we are, in fact, strongly inclined 
to believe that name is formed by 
contraction and a slight change of 
letters, particularly of r for I, which 
is common in the East, from the 
Heb. *n;i>2 ^fo ^9 al-me- Megiddo, 
ivaters of Megiddo, v. 19, which we 
have there shown to be but another 
appellation of this very river. We 
see, therefore, with how much pro- 
priety the Kishon is called the ' an- 
cient, 1 i. e. the ordained, the destined, 
the designated river; the river in- 
tendedj in the purposes of heaven, to 
be signalized by a series of remark- 
able events. IT Thou hast trodden 
down strength. That is, thou hast 
vanquished the strong and mighty ; 
a strain of exultation spoken, per- 
haps, in the person of all Israel, 
in view of the glorious victory 
achieved. 

22. The horse hoofs broken. An- 
ciently horses were not shod; nor 
are they at the present day in some 
parts of the East. The flight was so 
rapid, that the hoofs of their horses 
were splintered, battered, and bro- 
ken by the roughness of the roads. 
IT By the means of their prancings. 
Or, Heb. ' of their scamperings.' 
From ch. 4. 16, it appears that the 
Canaanites fled with the. utmost pre- 
cipatition. TiOf their mighty ones. 
Of their best and strongest horses. 
The original (d^Sk) is thus appli- 
ed Jer. 8. 16, ' The snorting of his 



242 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



23 Curse ye Meroz, said the 
angel of the Lord, curse ye bit- 
terly the inhabitants thereof; 
m because they came not to the 
help n of the Lord, to the help 
of the Lord against the mighty. 

24 Blessed above women 

Neh. 3. 5. n 1 Sam. 17. 47. & 



m ch. 51. 9, 10. 
18. 17. & 25. 28. 



horses was heard from Dan; the 
whole land trembled at the sound of 
the neighing of his strong ones.'' Ch. 
47. 3, ' At the noise of the stamping 
of his strong horses' 

23. Curse ye Meroz. The pro- 
phetess here turns abruptly to curse 
the inhabitants of Meroz ; a place 
probably of some note at that time, 
bat of which no trace whatever now 
remains. The effect of the curse, 
like that pronounced upon Amalek, 
Ex. 17. 14, seems to have 'blotted 
out the remembrance' of its history 
and its site. We may suppose it to 
have been a city lying near the 
scene of action, and that the inhabi- 
tants, having an opportunity to cut 
off the Canaanites in their flight, 
neglected to improve it, or in some 
other way withheld their services 
on the occasion. IT Said the angel 
of the Lord. The An gel- Jehovah, 
before spoken of, ch. 2. 1. The 
scope of the words is to intimate 
that the malediction proceeded not 
from her own private feelings of ill 
will or resentment, but was prompt- 
ed by a divine impulse. It was Je- 
hcvah that commanded the curse. 
She would not otherwise have inter- 
rupted her strains of thanksgiving, 
by the utterance of so fearful a judg- 
ment. U Curse ye bitterly. Heb. 
1 curse with cursing.' Use the most 
awful execrations. IT Came not 

to the help of the Lord. To the help 
of the Lord's people ; for he takes 
what is done to his people, as done 
to himself; and what is withheld 
from them as withheld from him- 
self. The liOrd needed not their 
help ; as the event showed that he 
could accomplish the work without 
them; nor does omnipotence ever 



shall °Jael the wife of Heber 
the Kenite be, Pblessed shall she 
be above women in the tent. 

25 ^He asked water, and she 
gave him milk ; she brought 
forth butter in a lordly dish. 

26 r She put her hand to the 

o ch. 4. 17. p Luke 1. 28. q ch. 4. 19. r ch. 4. 2lfl| 

really need the services of any of his : 
creatures. But he is pleased to al- : 
low them the privilege of being em-, 
ployed as co-workers together with?- 
him, and when a crisis arrives in- 
which it is in effect proclaimed, 
1 Who is on the Lord's side V it is 
at our peril that we presume to stand 
upon neutral ground, and refuse to 
come up to the help of the Lord. 

24. Blessed above women, &c. 
That is, she shall be praised and 
celebrated above women. She shall 
be deemed worthy of the most exalted 
eulogy for her heroic conduct; all 
the Israelitish women shall glory in 
her. This is in marked contrast 
with the foregoing curse of Meroz. 
The spirit of prophecy delights to 
turn from the language of displea- 
sure and rebuke to that of commen- 
dation and praise. II Blessed — 
above women in the tent. Or, as 
Geddes translates it, ' tent-inhabiting 
women.' She shall bear the pain 
above all women of the same clas 
or character with herself, i. e. th 
women of those tribes that dwell on- 
ly in tents. The words are eviden 
ly applied to the wife of a wandei- 
ing nomad, who had no fixed place 
of residence, and it is highly prob- 
able that such were the habits of the 
Kenites, in contradistinction from 
the more settled mode of life of the 
Israelites. 

25. She brought forth butter. The 
original n&ftn hemah here rendered 
' butter' undoubtedly implies some- 
thing liquid. It would perhaps be 
better translated cream, or rather 
curdled milk. ' Sisera complained 
of thirst, and asked a little water to 
quench it, a purpose to which butter 
is but little adapted. Mr. Harmer 



i 



A. C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER V. 



243 



nail, and her right hand to the 
workmen's hammer ; and with 
the hammer she smote Sisera, 
she smote off his head, when she 



had pierced and stricken through 
his temples. 

27 At her feet he bowed, he 
fell, he lay down : at her feet 



indeed urges the same objection to 
cream, which, he contends, few peo- 
ple would think a very proper bev- 
erage for one that was extremely 
thirsty; and concludes, that it- mast 
have been buttermilk which Jael, 
who had just been churning, gave to 
Sisera. But the opinion of Dr. Rus- 
sell is preferable, that the hemah of 
the Scriptures, is probably the same 
as the haymak of the Arabs, which is 
not, as Harmer supposed, simple 
cream, but cream produced by sim- 
mering fresh sheeps' milk *for some 
hours over a slow fire. It could not 
be butter newly churned, which Jael 
presented to Sisera, because the j 
Arab butter is apt to be foul, and is 
commonly passed through a strainer 
before it is used ; and Russell de- 
clares, he never saw butter offered 
to a stranger, but always haymak: 
nor did he ever observe the Orien- 
tals drink buttermilk, but always 
leban, which is coagulated sour milk, 
diluted with water. It was leban, 
therefore, which Pococke mistook 
for buttermilk, with which the Arabs 
treated him in the holy land. A 
similar conclusion may be drawn 
concerning the butter and milk 
which the wife of Heber presented 
to Sisera ; they were forced cream 
or haymak, and leban, or coagulated 
sour milk diluted with water, which 
is a common and refreshing bever- 
age in those sultry regions. 5 Pax- 
ton. IT In a lordly dish. Heb. ' in 
a bowl of the mighty, of the nobles.' 
That is, such as nobles use ; a rich, 
costly, or princely bowl; one with 
which a person would entertain the 
most honorable guests. Though it 
is scarcely supposable that articles 
of this costly description were com- 
mon in the tents of nomade tribes, 
yet in the present case the family of 
Heber may have possessed, from 
their ancestors, a sumptuous article 
of the kind, which Jael would nat- 



urally bring forth on the occasion of 
a visit from so distinguished a per- 
sonage. See ■ Illustrations of the 
Scriptures,' p. 137. 

26. She put her hand. Her left 
hand, as appears from the nature of 
the case and from the mention of the 
right in the ensuing clause. IT 
With the hammer she smote Sisera. 
The words ' with the hammer' ought 
properly to have been printed in 
Italics, as they do not occur in the 
original, although it is true that the 
Heb. verb for ' smite' does often, 
perhaps generally, convey the idea 
of smiting with a hammer, for which 
.reason our translators have render- 
ed in the margin, ' she hammered 
Sisera.' Yet in v. 22 of this chap- 
ter it is applied to the beating or 
striking of the horses' hoofs against 
the ground. At the time, however, 
when our translation was made the 
force of many Heb. words was not 
so clearly ascertained as at the pre- 
sent. TT She smote off his head. 
Rather, Heb. c She violently smote, 
she crushed his head.' That his 
head was actually severed from his 
body there is no good reason to be- 
lieve. IT When she pierced, &c. 
Or, Heb. £ and she pierced, &c.' 
The leading idea of the original 
word is to beat down, to depress, as 
appears from its use, Ps. 68. 24. — 110. 
6. Deut. 33. 11. According to the 
rendering of our translators it is en- 
tirely synonimous with the ensuing 
term i stricken through.' But this 
we believe to be unwarranted. The 
first undoubtedly implies the beating 
dozen, the indenting of the side of Si- 
sera's head which was exposed to the 
stroke, the other, the transfixing, the 
perforating of his temples, by the 
tent-pin. The words intimate a 
gradation in the act, each expression 
rising in intensity upon the prece- 
ding. 
27. At her feet he bowed, &c. Heb. 



244 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1296. 



he bowed, he fell : where he 
bowed, there he fell down dead. 
28 The mother of Sisera 
looked out at a window, and 
cried through the lattice, Why- 
is his chariot so long in coming ? 
why tarry the wheels of his 
chariots ? 



i&D S^S n^i}^ "pS between her feet 
he bowed, or sunk down, he fell. He 
probably made some struggles after 
receiving the blow, and as we may 
suppose him to have been lying on a 
bed, or divan, elevated somewhat 
above the floor, he would naturally 
fall upon the latter. The several 
kindred words appear to be merely 
a poetic amplification of the cir- 
cumstances of his death. See a sim- 
ilar phraseology Ps. 20. 6, ' They are 
brought down and fallen. (*|^&^ 

28. The mother of Sisera looked 
out, &c. By an abrupt but beautiful 
transition, the mother of Sisera is 
now introduced as looking- from her 
lattice, confidently expecting her 
son's victorious return, ostentatious- 
ly reckoning upon the spoil. c In 
this,' says Prof. Robinson, k is shown 
the deep insight into human nature 
which the sacred writer possessed, 
an insight especially into the frivol- 
ity of the Oriental female character. 
Her consolation springs, not from 
the hope of his triumphant return as 
a warrior and conqueror, but arises 
from the slaves, the many-colored 
garments, the splendid 'ornaments 
and attire which will fall to his 
share. In the mouth of the exulting 
Hebrew poetess, this is a burst 
of keen and scoffing irony against a 
foe who never dreamed of a defeat, 
and awaited only the spoils of victo- 
ry.' TT Cried through the lattice. 
The windows of eastern houses gen- 
erally open into interior private 
courts, with the exception sometimes 
of a latticed window or balcony to- 
words the street. At such an one 
the mother of Sisera is here repre- 



29 Her wise ladies answered 
her, yea, she returned answer 
to herself, 

30 'Have they not sped ? > 
have they not divided the prey ; 
to every man a damsel or two ; 
to Sisera a prey of divers colors, 
a prey of divers colors of needle- 



sented as standing and looking out. 
IT Why is his chariot so long in com- 
ing? Heb. 'why does his chariot 
shame (us) in coming V i. e. why 
does it so linger beyond expectation 
and almost beyond endurance ? The 
relation between the ideas of delay 
and shame in certain Hebrew terms 
is very peculiar. See note on eh, 
3. 25. 

29. Her wise ladies. The noble 
female attendants, the matrons of 
her court or suite. The epithet 
' wise,' perhaps, has reference to 
their sagacity or shrewdness in as- 
signing reasons for Sisera's delay. 

30. Have they not sped. Heb. ' have 
they not found;' i. e. have they not 
succeeded in obtaining the object of 
their desires 1 IT To every man a dam- 
sel or two. Heb. ' to the head of a 
man ;' an idiom peculiar to the orig- 
inal wherever the idea of enumera- 
tion or distribution is involved. One 
would have thought that ladies, who 
had any just conception of the honor 
of their sex, would have found other 
subjects of felicitation than this. But 
the hint serves as a faithful index of 
the degradation of woman in all hea- 
then lands, especially in the East. H 
A prey of divers colors of needle-work. 
Embroidery and rich dresses were 
reckoned the most valuable parts of 
the spoil of conquered foes. It was 
probably the beauty and richness of 
the Babylonish garment, that first 
tempted Achan to secrete the spdil 
that cost him his life. It was also 
probably from the high value put 
upon this species of spoil, that Da- 
vid, 2 Sam. 1. 24, calls upon the 
daughters of Israel, to join with him 
in lamenting the death of Saul, 



A. C. 1296.] CHAPTER V. 

work, of divers colors of needle- 
work on both sides, meet for the 
necks of them that take the 
spoil ? 

31 'So let all thine enemies 

t Ps. 83. 9, 10. 



1 who clothed them in scarlet, and 
with other delights ; who put on or- 
naments of gold upon their apparel.' 
1T For the necks of them that take the 
spoil. Heb. ' for the necks of the 
prey.' The ellipsis is perhaps well 
supplied in our translation, though 
some critics instead of taking ' prey' 
figuratively for persons seizing the 
prey, understand it of captured ani- 
mals, which they suppose to have 
been usually led in triumph decora- 
ted with ornaments and trappings 
upon their necks. In this sense, 
however, it might, as Prof. Robin- 
son suggests, be better referred to 
the decorations of the female slaves. 
31. So let all thine enemies perish. 
The prophetess, instead of saying in 
express terms that the hopes of Sise- 
ra's mother were doomed to sad dis- 
appointment, bursts forth into an 
abrupt apostrophe, which implies 
this in a very vivid and forcible 
manner ; viz. an invocation of like 
destruction upon all the enemies of 
Jehovah. The particle 'so' refers, 
not to what is expressed, but to what 
is thus implied, the frustrated hopes 
and bitter wailings of the mother 
and her attendants. This highly 
poetical mode of concluding the song 
gives a gracefulness and effect to 
the whole which can scarcely be 
surpassed. In remarking practical- 
ly on the prayer of Deborah, it is to 
be observed that imprecations of 
evil, when personal and vindictive, 
are contrary to the mind of God, 
but when uttered as denunciations 
of God's determined purposes against 
his enemies, they are not unsuited 
to the most holy character. In this 
light are many of the Psalms of Da- 
vid to be viewed ; and even Paul 
could say, ' If any man love not the 
Lord Jesus Christ, let him be ana- 
thema-maranatha.' ■ Though our 



245 

perish, O Lord : but let them 
that love him be u as the sun 
x when he goeth forth in his 
might. And the land had rest 
forty years. 



« 2 Sam. 23. 4. 



enemies,' says Henry, 'are to be 
prayed for, God's enemies, as such, 
are to be prayed against ; and when 
we see some of God's enemies re* 
markably humbled and brought 
down, that is an encouragement to 
us to pray for the downfall of all the 
rest.' Thus are Deborah's words 
to be interpreted. Being prompted 
by the spirit of inspiration, they are 
to be regarded not only as an impre- 
cation, but also as a prediction ; a 
prediction which shall assuredly be 
accomplished in its season upon all 
that continue to withstand omnipo- 
tence. IT Let them that love him 
be as the sun, &c. These words re- 
quire simply a practical exposition. 
They intimate the true distinction, 
between the enemies and the friends 
of God. The latter are character- 
ised as those that love him. If be- 
tween men we could admit a medium 
between love and hatred, we can by 
no means admit of it between God 
and his creatures. Indifference to- 
wards God would be constructive 
enmity. Those only who love him 
can be numbered among his friends. 
In behalf of these the prophetess 
prays that they may be as ' the sun 
when he goeth forth in his might/ 
Under this beautiful image she 
prays, (1) That they may shine with 
ever-increasing splendor. The sun 
in its early dawn casts but a feeble 
light upon the world; but soon pro- 
ceeds to irradiate the whole horizon, 
and to burst in full lustre upon those 
who were a little while before im- 
mersed in darkness. Thus the go- 
ings-forth of the devoted friends and 
servants of the Most High, diffuse 
at first but an indistinct and doubt- 
ful gleam ; but through the tender 
mercy of God they advance, and 
their light shines brighter and 
brighter to the perfect day. (2) 



246 

CHAPTER VI. 

a A ND the children of Israel 

■^ did evil in the sight of the 

Lord : and the Lord delivered 



JUDGES., [A. C. 1256. 

them into the hand b of Midian 
seven years. 

2 And the hand of Midian 
prevailed against Israel : and 



That they may diffuse benefits 
wheresoever they go. The sim is 
the fo mil a in of light and life to the 
whole terraqueous sphere. If we 
look at the places where his genial 
beams for months together never 
shine, the whole face of nature wears 
the appearance of desolation and 
death ; and nothing but the return of 
his kindly influences restores her to 
life. Thus in countries where the 
friends of God are not found, the 
whole population is in a state of 
spiritual and moral death. But in 
their light, light is seen, and from 
them is spread abroad a vital influ- 
ence which wakes up all around 
them to new life and power. Let us 
seriously inquire to which of these 
classes we belong ; for however con- 
founded now, there will be an awful 
difference between them ere long; 
the one arising to everlasting 
shame and contempt, the other shin- 
ing forth as the sun in the kingdom 
of their father. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1. Did evil in the sight of the Lord. 
After the expiration of the forty 
years of rest above mentioned, ch. 5. 
31. Their new defection subjects 
them as a matter of course to new 
judgments. With the froward, God 
will show himself froward, and will 
walk contrary to those that walk 
contrary to him. IT Into the hand 
of Midian. Of the Midianites ; the 
usual collect, sing, for the plural. 
A great portion of this race had 
been cut off by Moses about 200 
years bejfore, Num. 31. 1—18, but in 
the mean time they had recovered 
themselves, those that escaped to 
other regions having returned, and 
these with the remnant that remain- 
ed having rapidly increased and ac- 
quired power, till they became 
too strong for their sin-weakened 



neighbors the Israelites. Instigated 
probably by resentment, they joined 
the Amalekites in order to retaliate 
upon their ancient conquerors. 
They inhabited the eastern borders 
of the Red Sea, having Arnon for 
their capital. 

2. The hand of Midian prevailed 
against Israel. Heb. 'the hand of 
Midian was strong upon Israel ;' in- 
dicating not merely the commence- 
ment, but the continuance and the 
highest degree of oppression. IT 
Made them the dens, &c. That is, 
prepared, fitted up as residences, the 
caves and dens of the mountains. 
They did not make them de novo, in 
the sense of cutting out, excavating, 
or constructing them, for it is said they 
were already in the mountains, but 
they so ivorked upon them as to adapt 
them for dwelling places and strong 
holds against the assaults of their en- 
emies. Shaw says that a great way 
on each side of Joppa, on the sea- 
coast, there is a range of mountains 
and precipices ; and that in these 
high situations are generally found 
the dens, the holes, or caves, which 
are so frequently mentioned in Scrip- 
ture, and which were formerly the 
lonesome retreats of the distressed 
Israelites. Nothing can give a more 
vivid impression of the sufferings to 
which the Israelites were now redu- 
ced. Not daring to reside in the 
plain country they were obliged to 
betake themselves to the most retired 
holds and fastnesses which their 
mountainous territory afforded. Jo- 
sephus thus describes this period of 
their history; — 'Now when Barak 
and Deborah were dead, whose 
deaths happened about the same 
time; afterwards the Midianites 
called the Amalekites and Arabians 
to their assistance, and made war 
against the Israelites, and were too 
hard for those that fought against 



A. C. 1256.] 

because of the Midianites the 
children of Israel made them 
c the dens which are in the moun- 
tains, and caves, and strong 
holds. 

3 And so it was, when Israel 
had sown, that the Midianites 

c 1 Sam. 13. 6. Heb. 11. 38. 



CHAPTER III. 



247 



them ; and when they had burnt the 
fruits of the earth, they carried off 
the prey. Now when they had done 
this for three years, the multitude of 
the Israelites retired to the moun- 
tains, and forsook the plain country. 
They also made themselves hollows 
under ground, and caverns, and pre~ 
served therein whatsoever had es- 
caped their enemies: for the Midi- 
anites made expeditions in harvest- 
time, but permitted them to plough 
the^land in winter, that so when the 
others had taken pains, they might 
have fruits for them to carry away ' 
J. Antiq. B. V. ch. 6. § 1. See note 
on Gen. 19. 30. They who abuse 
God's gifts in prodigality and luxu- 
ry, often live, as a just punishment, 
to feel the want of them in hunger 
and nakedness. 

3. Wlien Israel had sown, &c. The 
Midianites were principally wander- 
ing herdsmen, that is, just such a 
people as the Bedouin Arabs of the 
present day. Consequently the de- 
tails of this oppression may be il- 
lustrated, from what travellers re- 
late of the modern customs of these 
roving and plundering tribes. It 
may be stated as a maxim, that 
whenever the nomade is the master 
of the cultivator, the impoverish- 
ment and ultimate ruin of the latter 
are inevitable. The Bedouin Arabs 
come up from their -deserts in the 
spring and perhaps remain through 
the summer, in the territories of 
those cultivators who are so unfor- 
tunate as to lie at their mercy. If 
there is not an established under- 
standing between the tillers of the 
soil and the nomades, as to the tri- 
bute which the former are to pay 



came up, and d the Amalekites, 
e and the children of the east, 
even they came up against 
them : 

4 And they encamped against 
them, and destroyed the in- 
crease of the earth, till thou 

d ch. 3. 13. e Geo. 29. 1. ch 7. 12. & 8. 10. 1 Kin. 
4. 30. Job 1.3. fLev. 26. 16. JJeut. 23. 8U, 33. 51. 
Aiie. 6. 15. 



for exemption, the Bedouins encamp 
and pasture their cattle in the culti- 
vated grounds, after securing such 
corn and other vegetable produc- 
tions as they may see fit to appropri- 
ate for their own use. Thus the 
1 increase of the earth is destroyed, 1 
and no ' sustenance left' to reward 
the labor and patience bestowed up- 
on its production. IF The children 
of the East.. Various mixed tribes 
of the Arabians, Ishmaelites, Moab- 
ites, and Ammonites inhabiting the 
regions which lay to the east aud 
southeast of Palestine. They were 
the descendants of Abraham by Ke- 
turah. See more respecting them, 
ch. 8. 10, 11. Gen. 29.1. Job 1. 3. 
Ezek. 25. 4. IT Came up against 
them. The effects of these maraud- 
ing expeditions ase expressly stated 
in the next verse. 

4. And they encamped. This is not to 
be understood precisely in the sense 
of a military encampment, which is 
generally a station occupied but for 
a very short time. The original 
term is frequently applied to the 
pitching of tents by the nomade tribes 
in their wanderings, and is but an- 
other word for expressing their un- 
settled, migratory kind of life. Liv- 
ing mostly in tents, they pitched 
them now here, and now there, re- 
maining for a longer or shorter time 
as the advantages of pasturage or 
plunder invited them ; and the scope 
of the present passage is doubtless 
to say, that these numerous eastern 
hordes had so far obtained the mas- 
tery over Israel, that they fearlessly 
pitched their tents and made a pro- 
tracted stay in the very heart of their 
country, moving on to its utmost 



248 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1256. 



come unto Gaza ; and left no 
sustenance for Israel, neither 
sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 

5 For they came up with 
their cattle and their tents, and 
they came °as grasshoppers for 
multitude; for both they and 
their camels were without num- 
ber : and they entered into the 
land to destroy it. 

g ch. 7. 12. 



limits, and consuming all its pro- 
ducts as they advanced. See the 
next verse. IT Till thou come unto 
Gaza. Their ravages extended quite 
across the whole breadth of the land 
from the east, where they entered, 
to the limits of the Philistines' pos- 
sessions, who inhabited the coast of 
the Mediterranean. Them they dis- 
turbed not, knowing them to be also 
hostile to the Israelites. A common 
enmity is a virtual league of alli- 
ance. IT Neither sheep, nor ox, nor 
ass. The Bedouins, in oppressing 
the cultivator, seize all the cattle 
that are brought abroad, and add 
them to their own flocks and herds, 
so that the inhabitants frequently 
become deprived of all their cattle, 
as was now the case with the Israel- 
ites. In western Asia the people 
who are subject to such annual in- 
cursions, generally make a compro- 
mise with the invaders, agreeing to 
pay them a heavy tribute, on condi- 
tion that the harvests shall not be 
touched, or the cattle driven off. 
Even powerful communities, which 
might be able to cope with the Be- 
douins, often enter into a compro- 
mise of this sort, to prevent the ne- 
cessity of continual warfare and 
watchfulness. With these, the ar- 
rangement is a matter of conveni- 
ence ; but miserable is the condition 
of those with whom it is a matter of 
necessity, and to whom it is the on- 
ly alternative, on which they can 
secure a scanty subsistence from 
their fields. The tribute, usually 
paid in produce, is generally very] 



6 And Israel was greatly im- 
poverished because of the Mid- 
ianites ; and the children of Is- 
rael h cried unto the Lord. 

7 IF And it came to pass, 
when the children of Israel cried 
unto the Lord because of the 
Midianites, 

8 That the Lord sent a pro- 
phet unto the children of Israel, 



heavy ; besides which the chiefs ex- 
pect extraordinary presents, and 
what is received in one year as a 
present, is certain to be exacted in 
the next year as a right. Thus the 
pressure accumulates, till it can no 
longer be borne ; cultivation is then 
relinquished; and whole settlements 
are abandoned by their inhabitants, 
who disperse themselves into other 
villages or toWns, or form a settle- 
ment where they hope to be more at 
ease. These particulars, gathered 
principally from the ' Pictorial Bi- 
ble/ serve to show the distressed 
situation of the Israelites under the 
depredations of these ancient Be- 
douins. 

5. Came up with their cattle and 
their tents. That is, with their 
wives, children, and domestics, the 
inhabitants of their tents. This is 
but an expansion of the idea of the 
preceding verse. The inroad of 
these eastern invaders was not a 
sudden and successful assault fol- 
lowed by a hasty retreat, but a pro- 
longed occupation of the country of 
the Israelites, with their innumer- 
able tents, and flocks, ahd herds. 
For numbers and voracity they are 
compared to ' grasshoppers,' or ra- 
ther ' locusts,' as the word should be 
rendered, and nothing can convey 
a more vivid image of the countless 
multitude and the wide-spread rava- 
ges of these armies of marauders. — 
It was undoubtedly at this time that 
the famine took place which compel- 
led the family of Elimelech to mi- 
grate to the land of Moab, and gave 



A. C. 1256.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



249 



which said unto them, Thus saith 
the Lord God of Israel, I 
brought you up from Egypt) and 
brought you forth out of the 
house of bondage ; 

9 And I delivered you out of 
the hand of the Egyptians, and 



rise to the interesting events related 
in the book of Ruth. The oppres- 
sion to which the Israelites were at 
this time subject was, therefore, of a 
very different character from those 
which they had previously suffered; 
and from the minute and expressive 
details which are given, we cannot 
but infer that they had never before 
experienced any thing so grievous. 
IT Entered into the land to destroy it. 
The effect of their entering in was to 
destroy, to lay waste, the land; 
whether the Heb. particle (^ to) im- 
ports the actual design is not so clear. 
It often indicates merely the event. 
See note on Josh. 7. 7- 

8. The Lord sent a prophet. Heb. 
1 sent a man, a prophet.' The wri- 
ter would have it understood that it 
was a human messenger and not an 
angel ; for angels in Scripture are 
not called prophets, though prophets 
are sometimes called angels, Mai. 3. 
I. God commissioned some indi- 
vidual, whose name is not known, 
to act the part of a prophet, i. e. to 
be an organ, of declaring the divine 
will on this occasion to his people. 
Whether he had ever exercised this 
function before is uncertain. The 
supposition that he had is at least 
unnecessary. Men were often raised 
up and endowed with extraordinary 
gifts for particular emergencies, and 
God having now determined, in an- 
swer to the prayers of his oppressed 
people, to grant them deliverance, 
begins by sending them a prophet be- 
fore he raises up for them a Saviour. 
It was fitting that their deep and un- 
feigned repentance should precede 
the purposed relief, and a prophet 
would be the most suitable instru- 
ment of effecting this. The imme- 
22 



out of the hand of all that op. 
pressed you, and *drave them 
out from before you, and gave 
you their land ; 

10 And I said unto you, I am 
the Lord your God ; k fear not 
the gods of the Amorites, in 

i Ps. 44. 2, 3. k 2 Kings 17. 35, 37, 38. Jer. 10. 2. 

diate object of our prayers is not al- 
ways that which God sees fit imme- 
diately to grant. He may see that 
something else entirely different is 
necessary as a preparative to the 
main blessing, and as a general rule 
we cannot hope for the marks of the 
divine forgiveness without being 
deeply humbled for our previous sin. 
' The sending of prophets to a people, 
and the furnishing a land with faith- 
ful ministers, is a token for good, 
and an evidence that God has mercy 
in store for them.' Henry. In what 
way precisely this prophet executed 
his mission, whether by addressing 
the people in a general assembly, or 
by delivering it from city to city, and 
from tribe to tribe, it is not possible 
to decide ; but his errand was to con- 
vince them of sin, and to bring them 
to repentance and humiliation be- 
fore God in view of their past trans- 
gressions. V Brought you upfront 
Egypt. You in the loins or persons 
of your fathers. See this phraseol- 
ogy explained, Josh. 4. 23. 

9. Cy all that oppressed you. It is 
not perfectly clear to whom this is 
intended to apply. It cannot well be 
referred to the Canaanites, in Judea, 
as they can scarcely be said to have 
'oppressed' the Israelites prior to 
the occupation of their lands by the 
latter, although they doubtless had 
every disposition to do it. Some of 
the Jewish commentators with much 
probability understand it of Sihon 
Og, Arad and others whom the Is- 
raelites encountered on their way 
from Egypt to Canaan, to whom 
should perhaps be added Balak, king 
of Moab, the Midianites, the Edom- 
ites, and whatever enemy endeavor- 
ed to molest them on their marctf 



250 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1256, 



whose land ye dwell : but ye 
have not obeyed my voice. 

11 V And there came an an- 
gel of the Lord, and sat under 
an oak which was in Ophrah, 



that pertained unto Joash Uhe 
Abi-ezrite : and his son m Gideon 
threshed wheat by the wine- 
press, to hide H from the Midian* 

ites. 



1 Josh. 17. 2. 



i Heb. 11. 32. 



These they overcame, expelled, and 
took possession of their country, and 
so made good the declaration of the 
text. 

10, Fear not the gods of the Amor- 
ites. Fear them not so as to serve 
and worship them ; pay them not di- 
vine honors. By the Amorites is 
meant the Canaanitish nations in 
general. See on Josh. 24. 14. 15. 
TF But ye have not obeyed my voice. 
In this and the two preceding verses 
there is no express promise of deliv- 
erance, but merely a recital of the 
Lord's goodness and the charge of 
disobedience and rebellion brought 
against the people. The reason per- 
haps of an address so purely legal 
was to deepen their repentance, to 
make them feel more bitterly the 
evil and malignity of their conduct, 
and on the borders of despair to cry 
more earnestly for the divine succor. 
As we learn, however, from the 
facts recorded that it teas the purpose 
of God to afford relief, we may pro- 
perly understand the lebuke as im- 
plying the promise of pardon and 
deliverance, on condition of their re- 
turning to God. As a general rule, 
in God's dealings with sinners, 
where present evils are spoken of as 
a penally of past offences, it is to be 
understood that forgiveness will fol- 
low reformation. We may there- 
fore without hazard supply the last 
clause thus ; — ' But ye have not 
obeyed my voice ; nevertheles I 
have heard your cry, and have pur- 
posed deliverance.' This is merely 
putting £he actual conduct of the 
Most High into words. 

11. An angel of the Lord. Not a 
created angel, but the Son of God 
himself, the eternal Word, the Lord 
of angels, anticipating the appear- 
ance he was afterwards in the full- 
ness of time to make in human form. 



This is evident from his being 
called v. 14—- 16, ' Jehovah,' and from 
his saying, ' 1 will be with thee.' 
See on ch. 2. 1. IT Sat under an 
oak ivhich icas in Ophrah. Or, Heb. 
'sat under a grove or cluster of 
oaks.' Ophrah was a city of Ma- 
nasseh, west of Jordan, situated 
about sixteen miles north of Jericho ^ 
and not far from the river Jordan. 
IT Joash the Abi-ezrite. Of the pos- 
terity, of the family, of Abiezer, who 
belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, 
Josh. 17. 2. This Ophrah probably 
fell to the inheritance of this family^ 
and it may be also so called to dis- 
tinguish it from another Ophrah, in 
the tribe of Benjamin. Josh. 18. 23, 
IT Gideon threshed tvheat by the tvine 
press. The Hebrew properly de- 
notes, ' threshed wheat with a stick 
in a wine press ;' a very expressive 
illustration of the remarks made 
above respecting the oppression of 
the Midianites. Gideon was obliged 
to thresh his wheat in a small quan- 
tity, and in an unusual place, to con- 
ceal it from the enemy. This shews 
how extreme was the distress of the 
Israelites, seeing that they could not 
retain any part of their own produce 
except by stealth . The smallness of 
the quantity is shown by the manner 
in which it was threshed, which was 
not with cattle, as was usual with 
large quantities, but by means of the 
flail, which was seldom employed 
but in threshing small quantities. 
And then the threshing was in or 
near the w 7 ine press, that is, in an 
unusual place, in ground appropri- 
ated to another purpose. The flail 
also falling on grain placed on the 
dead ground, not on a boarded floor, 
as with us, made but little noise, 
whereas the bellowing of the oxen 
might, in the other case, have led to 
detection. It will be obser ved, how- 



A. C. 1256.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



251 



12 And the n angel of the 
Lord appeared unto him, and 
said unto him, The Lord is 
"with thee, thou mighty man of 
valor. 

13 And Gideon said unto 



n cli. 13.3. Luke I. 11,29 



over, contrary to the opinion of some 
commentators, that this threshing- 
ground was in the open air, else 
Gideon could not have expected dew 
to fall upon the ground or on the 
fleece, which he spread out there, v. 
37—40. IT To hide it from, 'the 
Midianites . Heb. ' to cause it to flee 
from the Midianites;' i. e. that it 
might be hastily gathered up on the 
approach of the enemy and conveyed 
to a place of safety. The original 
word is the same with that employ- 
ed Ex. 9. 20, ' He that feared the 
word of the Lord — made his servants 
and his cattle flee into the houses, 5 
where it is evidently exegetical of 
'gather' in the preceding verse. 

12. The Lord is with thee. Chal. 
'the Word of the Lord is for thy 
help, thou mighty man of valor.' 
An ancient form of salutation, ex- 
pressing the assurance, or conveying 
an invocation, of the presence, pro- 
tection, and blessing of God. From 
Gideon's answer v. 13, it wpuld ap- 
pear that the former is the sense in 
this passage. Thus Boaz" saluted 
his reapers, Ruth, 2. 4, and thus the 
angel accosted the mother of Christ, 
Luke 1. 28. IT Thou mighty man 

of v alor. This appellation may 
at once have been founded upon 
some previous display of courage 
and personal prowess put forth by 
Gideon, and may also have been pre- 
dictive of the character he should 
hereafter exhibit as a divinely com- 
missioned and qualified deliverer of 
his countrymen. The instruments 
which God chooses to effect his pur- 
poses he endows, strengthens, and 
animates for the work to which he 
calls them. Though often to human 
view unlikely instruments, yet they 
will ever be found best qualified for 
tb s employment assigned them, 



him, O my Lord, if the Lord be 
with us, why then is all this be- 
fallen us ? and p where be all his 
miracles i which our fathers told 
us of, saying, Did not the Lord 
bring us up from Egypt? but 



p So Ps. 89. 49. Is 59. I. &63 15 



q Ps. 44. 



13. If the Lord be with us. Chal. 
' is the Shechinah of the Lord for our 
help V The angel it will be observed 
addressed Gideon in the singular, 
'the Lord is with thee;' but he, in 
his reply, continually makes use of 
the plural, — ' if the Lord be with its' 
— showing that he identified himself 
with his people, and that he scarcely 
knew how to conceive of the divine 
presence with him, when there was 
no evidence of its being enjoyed by 
them. An humble and self-distrust- 
ing spirit is always backward to re- 
cognize the special tokens of the di- 
vine favor, and, far from wishing to 
monopolize them, is anxious that 
such gracious manifestations should 
be shared by others. IT Why then 
is all this befallen us. Heb. * ' why 
hath all this found us 1.' A plain ac- 
knowledgment that the evils suffer- 
ed were occasioned by the withdraw- 
ment of the divine presence. It is 
supposed, by the very terms, that the 
continued enjoyment of the light of 
God's countenance would have pre- 
cluded them. IT Where be all his 
miracles, &c. Why does not the 
same powder which delivered our fa- 
thers from the yoke of the Egyptians, 
deliver us out of the hands of the 
Midianites'? ' It is sometimes hard, 
but never impossible, to reconcile 
cross providences with the presence 
of God and his favor.' Henry. TT 
Delivered us into the hands of the 
Midianites. Heb. £p, properly ike 
hollmo of the hand; different from 
-p the hand usually employed in 
such connections. — 'The Valiant 
man was here weak, weak in faith, 
weak in discourse, whilst he argues 
God's absence by affliction, and his 
presence by deliverances, and the 
unlikelihood of success, by his own 
inability ; all gross inconsequences. 



252 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1256. 



now the Lord hath r forsaken us, 
and delivered us into the hands 
of the Midianites. 

14 And the Lord looked 
upon him, and said, s Go in this 
thy might, and thou shalt save 
Israel from the hand of the Mid- 
ianites : 'have not I sent thee? 

15 And he said unto him, O 

r 2 Chr. 15. 2. s 1 Sam. 12. 11. Heb. 11. 32, 34. 
t Josh. 1. 9. ch. 4. 6. 

Rather should he have inferred 
God's presence in their correction; 
for wheresoever God chastises, there 
he is, yea, there he is in mercy. No- 
thing more proves us his than his 
stripes : he will not bestow chastise- 
ment where he loves not. Pond na- 
ture thinks God should not suffer the 
wind to blow on his dear ones, but 
none out of the place of torment 
have suffered so much as his dearest 
children. He says not, l We are 
idolaters; therefore the Lord feath 
forsaken us, because we have forsa- 
ken him/ This sequel had been as 
good as the other was faulty ; ' He 
hath delivered us unto the Midian- 
ites, therefore he hath forsaken us.' 
Sins, not afflictions, argue God ab- 
sent. 5 Bp. Hall. 

14. And the Lord looked upon him. 
That is, not merely directed his eyes 
towards him, but looked upon him 
efficaciously, with an indescribable 
power and influence, as it is said, 
Luke 22. 61, ' And the Lord turned 
and looked upon Peter;' i. e. in such 
a way as he only could look upon 
him ; with an efficacy absolutely di- 
vine, the consequence of which was 
he went out and wept bitterly. 
Here however the look was one of 
encouragement and favor, one which 
banished his fears and inspired him 
with new life, spirits, and confidence. 
It will be noticed that the language 
here employed, ' The Lord (Jeho- 
vah) looked upon him/ plainly dis- 
closes the real character of him who 
is above called an angel. IT Go in 
this thy strength. In the supernatu- 
ral strength and fortitude with which 



my Lord, wherewith shall I 
save Israel ? behold, u my family 
is poor in Manasseh, and I am 
the least in my father's house. 

16 And the Lord said unto 
him, "Surely I will be with thee, 
and thou shalt smite the Midian- 
ites as one man. 

17 And he said unto him, If 



u See I Sam. 9. 21. 



x Ex. 3. 12. lest. 1. & 



thou perceivest thyself to be endow- 
ed as the result of this interview. 
God gives men a commission of ser- 
vice by giving them all the qualifi- 
cations necessary for the execution 
of it, and when this is the ease hu- 
man ceremonies merely recognise 
instead of creating the authority un- 
der which such persons act. c A 
good cause, a good calling, and a 
good conscience will make a good 
courage/ Trapp. 

15. My family is poor. Heb. l my 
thousand is the meanest, or poorest/ 
From Ex. 18. 25, we learn that the 
Israelites were divided into tens, fif- 
ties) hundreds, and thousands ; a di- 
vision expressly recognised Mic. 5. 
2. 'Thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, 
though thou be little among the thou- 
sands of Israel, &c.' These thou- 
sands embraced of course numerous 
families, and the assertion of Gid- 
eon seems to be, that the thousand to 
which his family belonged had be- 
come not only greatly diminished in 
numbers, but also impoverished in re- 
sources, so that they could do little 
towards withstanding the enemy. 
IT Least in my father's house. Either 
the youngest, or in his apprehension 
the least competent for the work in 
question. He would represent him- 
self as lacking in that ability, rank, 
and influence which would induce 
his countrymen to join his standard 
in an enterprise against the Midian- 
ites. 

16. Smite the Midianites as one 
man. As easily and effectually as if 
they were but one man. 

17 Shoiv me a sign } that thou talfa 






A, C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



253 



now 1 have found grace in thy 
sight, then ^shew me a sign 
that thou talkest with me. 

18 2 Depart not thence, I pray 
thee, until I come unto thee, and 
bring forth my present, and set 

y Ex. 4. I— S. ver. 36. 37. 2 Kings 20. 8. Ps. 36. 
17. Is- 7. 11. z Gen. 18. 3, 5. :, ( . 13. 13. 

est with me. That it is thou, the true 
and real Jehovah, with whom I am 
honored to speak; that there is no 
mistake, no illusion, as to the per- 
sonage with whom I am now hold- 
ing converse. This request seems 
to have been prompted by a momen- 
tary misgiving whether it were 
really the divine Being himself with 
whom he now had the honor of an 
interview. 'The unusualness of 
those revelations, in those corrupted 
times, was such, that Gideon might 
think of any thing rather than an 
angel: no marvel if so strange a 
promise from an unknown messen- 
ger found not a perfect assent. Fain 
would he believe, but fain would 
have good warrant for his faith. In 
matters of faith we cannot go on too 
sure grounds : as Moses therefore, 
bsing sent on the same errand, de- 
sired a sign, whereby Israel might 
know that God sent him; so Gideon 
desires a sign from this bearer, to 
know that this news is from God.' 
Bp. Hall. 

18. Bring forth my present. Heb. 
Vin:to m V mincha; a word usually 
employed to signify a meal-offering 
i e. an offering of bread, wine, oil, 
flour, and such li ke, as is observed on 
Gen. 4. 3, 4. This has led some com- 
mentators to suppose that Gideon, by 
such an oblation, recognised in his 
visiter a divine person, whom he in- 
tended to honor by a real sacrifice, 
and in fact the Greek version ren- 
ders it, ' I will bring forth a sacrifice, 
and sacrifice before thee. 5 Others re- 
gard it merely as a hospitable meal 
provided for the entertainment of a 
respectable stranger. But in this 
case it is not so easy to perceive how 
Gideon could have anticipated the 
working of a sign or miracle in con- 
22* 



it before thee. And he said, I 
will tarry until thou come 
again. 

19 IT a And Gideon went in, 
and made ready a kid, and un- 
leavened cakes of an ephah of 

a Gen. 18. 6,7, 8. 

nection with the offering, as it is evi- 
dent he did. He would seem in fact 
to have forgotten the request which 
he had a moment before made. The 
remark of Henry on the word is at 
least very plausible : — ' It is the same 
word that is used for a meat-offering 
(meal-offering,) and perhaps that 
word which signifies both, because 
Gideon intended to leave it to this 
divine person, to determine which'it 
should be, when he had it before 
him, whether a feast, or a meat-of- 
fering, and accordingly he would be 
able to judge concerning him; if he 
ate of it as common meat, he would 
suppose him to be a man, a prophet ; 
if otherwise, as it proved, he should 
know him to be an angel.' 

19. Made ready a kid, &c. The 
manner in which the Arabs still en- 
tertain strangers will cast light up- 
on this passage. Shaw, in his Pre- 
face, observes ; — ' Besides a bowl of 
milk, and a basket of figs, raisins, 
or dates, which upon our arrival 
were presented to us, to stay our 
appetites, the master of the tent 
where we lodged, fetched us from 
his flock, according to the number 
of our company, a kid or a goat, a 
lamb or a sheep, half of which was 
immediately seethed by his wife, 
and served with cuseasoe; the rest 
was made kabab ; i. e. cut into pieces 
and roasted, which we reserved for 
our breakfast or dinner next day.' 
V, Put the broth in a pot, &c. We 
are to infer, according to the editor 
of the Pictorial Bible, either that 
Gideon boiled or stewed the kid and 
seived up the meat and soup separ- 
ately ; or else that he stewed one 
part of the kid, and roasted or boiled 
the other. Both methods are con- 
sonant to oriental usages; and, per- 



254 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249 



flour : the flesh he put in a bas- 
ket, and he put the broth in a pot, 
and brought it out unto him un- 
der the oak, and presented it. 

20 And the angel of God said 
unto him, Take the flesh and the 
unleavened cakes, and b lay them 
upon this rock, and c pour out 
the broth. And he did so. 

21 f Then the angel of the 
Lord put forth the end of the 
staff that was in his hand, and 
touched the flesh and the unleav- 



bch. 13. 19. 



c See 1 Kings 13. 33, 34. 



haps, the latter is the best hypothe- 
sis, as the animal thus divided may 
be the more speedily dressed. In this 
case, the roasted part was probably 
prepared in the most usual way of 
preparing a hasty dish, that is, by 
cutting the meat into small pieces, 
several of which are strung upon a 
skewer, and so roasted or rather 
broiled ; as several of these skewers 
of meat can be dressed together, a 
meal may in this way be very soon 
prepared. This dish, he remarks, 
is called kaboob, and is very com- 
mon in western Asia. When meat 
is thus dressed in two ways, the stew 
is generally intended for immediate 
use, and the kaboob for a future 
meal, or for the traveller to carry 
with him for his refreshment on the 
way. As Gideon brought the meat, 
as distinguished from the ' broth,' in 
a basket, it was probably intended 
by him that the stranger should take 
it away with him for his future use. 
This was a proper mark of careful 
hospitality and attention. The bas- 
ket was, probably, a small hand-bas- 
ket made of palm-leaves or rushes. 
IT Brought it out unto him under the 
oak. See note on Gen. 18. 6—8. 
The Arabs are accustomed, even to 
the present day, to receive their 
guests under a shade in the open air. 
21. There rose up fire out of the 
rock ^ &c. Showing hereby that he 
was not a man who needed meat, 



ened cakes ; and d there rose 
up fire out of the rock, and con- 
sumed the flesh and the un- 
leavened cakes. Then the an- 
gel of the Lord departed out of 
his sight. 

22 And when Gideon per- 
ceived that he was an angel of 
the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O 
Lord God ! f for because I have 
seen an angel of the Lord face 
to face. 

23 And the Lord said unto 

d Lev 9. 24. 1 Kings 18. 38. 2 Chr. 7. 1. e ch. 
13. 21. f Gen. 16. 13. & 32. 30. Ex. 33. 20. ch. 13 22. 

but the Son of God, who was to be 
served and honored by sacrifice; 
and signifying also to Gideon that 
he had ' found grace in his sight/ 
for God usually testified his accep- 
tance of sacrifices, by kindling them 
with fire from heaven. The accep- 
tance of the sacrifice was also a to- 
ken of the acceptance of his person ; 
it went to confirm the commission 
now given him, and to afford him 
every needed assurance of success. 
ir Departed out of his sight. Though 
he had hitherto appeared in the form 
of a traveller, with a staff in his 
hand, yet he did not walk off as a 
man, but vanished and disappeared 
as a spirit ; perhaps iif the flame of 
fire which he had kindled. Comp. 
ch. 13. 20. 

22. Perceived that he ivas an an- 
gel of the Lord. Rather, l Perceived 
that he was the angel of the Lord.' 
v. 11. Comp. Gen. 32. 30. Ex 33. 20. 
IT Alas! O Lord God ! &c. An ellip- 
tical sentence strikingly expressive 
of the agitation and terror into 
which Gideon was thrown, upon 
discovering the real character of 
the Angel. It is, as if he had said, 
1 Have mercy upon me, O Lord God, 
or I shall surely die, because I have 
seen the angel of Jehovah face to 
face !' As remarked upon Gen. 10. 
13, it was anciently a prevalent sen- 
timent, that if any man saw God, or 
his representative Angel, he must 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



255 



him, e Peace be unto thee ; fear 
not : thou shalt not die. 

24 Then Gideon built an al- 
tar there unto the Lord, and 
called it Jehovah-shalom : unto 



g D?n. 10. 19. 



die. On this account, Gideon is 
alarmed and prays for his life. 
' Ever since man has by sin exposed 
himself to God's wrath and curse, 
an express from heaven has been a 
terror to him, as he scarcely dares 
expect good tidings thence ; at least, 
in this world of sense, it is a very 
awful thing to have any sensible 
conversation with that world of spi- 
rits, to which we are so much stran- 
gers.' Henry. 

23. The Lord said unto him, Peace 
be unto thee, &c. ■ Peace,' i. e. safety, 
life, well-being ; the exact reverse 
of what he feared. It is uncertain 
whether this was spoken in an aud- 
ible voice, or by inward suggestion; 
probably the latter. { The angel that 
departed for the wonder, yet returns 
for the comfort of Gideon. It is not 
usual with God to leave his children 
in amaze, but he brings them out in 
the same mercy which led them in, 
and will magnify his grace in the 
one, no less than his power in the 
other.' Bp. Hall. 

24. Gideon built an altar there — 
and called it Jehovah-shalom. That 
is, upon the top of the rock, on 
which the miracle had been wrought, 
v. 26. The purpose for which the 
altar was erected, is explained in the 
verses immediately following. The 
words qi*3 mn* 1 Jehovah Shalom, 
literally signify, The Lord, peace, 
and he probably so denominated the 
altar, in reference to the assurance 
of peace and blessing given him on 
that memorable spot. 

25. And it came to pass the same 
night. Rather, l for it came to pass 
the same night;' intimating the rea- 
son that led him to erect the altar. 
The incident is mentioned in the 
preceding verse by anticipation. 
There is no ground to suppose that 
Gideon erected the altar before he 



this day it is yet h in Ophrah of 
the Abi-ezrites. 

25 IT And it came to pass 
the same night, that the Lord 
said unto him, Take thy father's 



had received the divine command 
for so doing, and that was not till 
the night after the vision, as is evi- 
dent from what follows. But it is 
entirely accordant with Scripture 
usage to relate an event at first in 
the gross, in a general and compen- 
dious way, and afterwards to de- 
scribe it in detail, with an express 
enumeration of all the circum- 
stances. 

25. Take thy father's young bullock, 
even the second bullock. Or, Heb. 
1 and the second bullock,' implying 
that two bullocks were now to be 
slain ; but as mention is made of 
only one in v. 26, 28, our present 
rendering is probably correct. But 
why this animal is distinguished 
by the epithet ' second,' is a question 
not easily answered. It may be con- 
jectured, that the Midianites had 
taken away all the cattle of the Is- 
raelites that they could lay their 
hands upon, so that Gideon's father 
had very few cattle left, perhaps on- 
ly two, and of these the ' second,' in 
point of age, Gideon is now directed 
to offer as the fittest for sacrifice. 
After all, the grounds of the epithet 
cannot be satisfactorily settled. — 
As Gideon s father appears to have 
been addicted to idolatry, as well as 
many of his fellow-townsmen, it may 
be, as many of the elder commenta- 
tors suppose, that this bullock had 
been kept and fattened by him for a 
sacrifice to Baal. IT The altar of 
Baal that thy father hath. Which 
belonged to his father, probably as 
being built on his ground, and the 
place of his worship, though evi- 
dently designed for the common use 
of the whole city, v. 29—30. IF Cut 
down the grove that is by it. Prob- 
ably a grove dedicated to Ashtaroth, 
and perhaps containing her image, 
as the original word is ^XWfk Asher- 



256 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



young bullock, even the second 
bullock of seven years old, and 
throw down the altar of Baal 
that thy father hath, and icut 
down the grove that is by it : 

26 And build an altar unto 
the Lord thy God upon the top 
of this rock, in the ordered place, 
and take the second bullock, and 
offer a burnt-sacrifice with the 
wood of the grove which thou 
shalt cut down. 

27 Then Gideon took ten 
men of his servants, and did as 
the Lord had said unto him : 



ah, on which see note on ch. 3. 7. 
1 First must Baal's altar be ruined, 
ere God's be built: both may not 
stand together : the true God will 
have no society with idols, neither 
will allow it us. I do not hear him 
say, ' That altar and grove, which 
were abused to Baal, consecrate 
now to me:' but as one whose holy 
jealousy will abide no worship till 
there be no idolatry, he first com- 
mands down the monuments of 
superstition, and then enjoins his 
own service : the wood of Baal's 
grove must be used to burn a sacri- 
fice unto God. When it was once 
cut down, God's detestation and 
their danger ceased : the good crea- 
tures of God, that have been profan- 
ed to idolatry, may, in a change of 
their use, be employed to the ho]y 
service of their Maker.' Bp. Hall. " 
26. Upon the top of this rock. Heb. 
' upon the top of this strong-hold.' 
The native rock had probably been 
in some way fortified and converted 
into a fortress, to secure them from 
the Midianites. IT In the ordered 
place. Or, Heb. 'in an orderly 
manner.' The original signifies 
arrangement, disposition, order, and 
doubtfess has reference to the pre- 
scribed mode of erecting the altar, 
Ex. 20. 24, 25, and also of laying on 
the wood and the pieces of flesh 



and so it was, because he feared 
his father's household, and the 
men of the city, that he could 
not do it by day, that he did it 
by night, 

28 H And when the men of 
the city arose early in the morn- 
ing, behold, the altar of Baal 
was cast down, and the grove 
was cut down that was by it, 
and the second bullock was of- 
fered upon the altar that was 
built. 

29 And they said one to ano- 
ther, Who hath done this thing? 



prepared for sacrifice. The cere- 
mony w r as to be gone about with 
care and reverence ; it was not to 
be performed in a cursory, hurried^ 
or irregular manner, but with a due 
observance of all the appointed for- 
malities. Although Gideon was not 
a priest, nor was this the established 
place of sacrifice or worship, yet 
God may dispense with his own in- 
stitutions, whenever it seems good in 
his eyes. His call and commission 
can "make any person, and his 
choice any place, sacred. 

27. Feared his father's household. 
Lest they should have opposed him 
from an apprehension, that the de- 
struction of the altar would incense 
the Midianites, and so bring aug- 
mented evil upon themselves, v. 30. 
It is not to be inferred that Gideon 
feared the resentment of his kindred 
or neighbors, or that he shrunk from 
any danger connected with the un- 
dertaking ; but as a matter of policy 
and prudence, he saw fit to engage 
in the enterprise by night, when he 
would be least exposed to interrup- 
tion or opposition from the votaries 
of Baal. It appears obvious that 
his father was of this number ; ac- 
cordingly he took ten of his own 
servants, in whom he could confide, 
and who, we may suppose, had like 
their master preserved their integ- 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



257 



And when they inquired and 
asked, they said, Gideon the son 
of Joash hath done this thing. 

30 Then the men of the city 
said unto Joash, Bring out thy 
son, that he may die : because 

rity, and not 'bowed the knee to 
Baal,' and by their aid faithfully ex- 
ecuted the work enjoined upon him. 

29. They said, Gideon the son of 
Joash hath done this thing. By what 
means they satisfied themselves of 
this, we are not informed. The 
original, by using two nearly syno- 
nimous words, Ifljp^l Wni "they 
inquired and investigated, implies 
that a very careful and diligent in- 
quiry was made. It is probable that 
Gideon had been previously known 
to be somewhat disaffected to the 
prevalent idolatry, and upon put- 
ting this and all other circumstances 
together, they hesitate not to fix their 
suspicions upon him, which may 
have been confirmed by the disclo* 
sures of some of the party engaged 
with him. In some way or other, 
the evidence was conclusive against 
him, and nothing but his blood could 
satisfy the persecuting rage of his 
idolatrous fellow-townsmen. 

30. Bring out thy son thai he may 
die. As a profane and sacrilegious 
wretch. To such a pitch of impiety 
were these degenerate Israelites ar- 
rived, that they do not scruple to 
call upon Joash to deliver up his 
own son to death, for aiming to sup- 
press practices, which, if the law 
had had its course, would have sub- 
jected them to death. The divine 
law expressly prescribed that the 
worship of idols should be treated 
as a capital offence, and yet these 
wicked men impiously turn the 
penalty upon the worshippers of the 
God of Israel ! ' Was it not enough 
to offer the choicest of their bullocks 
to Baal, but must the bravest youths 
of their city fall as a sacrifice to that 
dunghill deity, when they pretended 
he was provoked % How soon will 
idolaters become persecutors.' Hen- 
ry. Rosenmuller suggests, with 



he hath cast down the altar of 
Baal, and because he hath cut 
down the grove that was by it. 
31 And Joash said unto all 
that stood against him, Will ye 
plead for Baal ? will ye save 

much plausibility, that it was in re- 
ference to this incident Gideon de- 
rived his name, with posterity, from 
9*; 3 Gada, to cut or hero doivn, q. d. 
a cutter-doion, a demolisher. Innu- 
merable instances occur in the Scrip- 
tures, in which persons are called 
by acquired, and not by their origi- 
nal names, the latter being in fact 
often entirely lost. 

31. Joash said unto all that stood 
against him, &c. Joash had evident- 
ly before been a patron of Baal's 
altar, but here he appears decidedly 
taking part with his son who had 
demolished it. To what the sudden 
change in his mind was owing, we 
are not informed. The probability, 
we think, is, that Gideon, perceiv- 
ing in the morning to what a pitch 
of exasperation the citizens were 
wrought, and how seriously they 
threatened his life, took occasion 
frankly to inform his father of the 
visit of the angel, and of all the cir- 
cumstances of his call and commis- 
sion, and that this added to his feel- 
ings as a father, had served at once 
to convince him of his former error 
and to determine him to stand by 
his son against the rage of the popu- 
lace. His argument is briefly this; 
—-Do not act thus precipitately 
against my son ; for if Baal be really 
a God, he will avenge his own cause, 
and if he be not a god, then they 
who plead for him deserve instant 
death. A deity who cannot defend 
himself, is unworthy of the defence 
of others. This reasoning was un- 
answerable, and it prevailed. It 
was, in fact, a fair challenge to Baal 
to ' do either good or evil,' and the 
result convinced his worshippers of 
their folly in praying to one to help 
them who could not defend himself. 
— The following is proposed as an 
amended translation of this verse, of 



258 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



him ? he that will plead for him, 
let him be put to death whilst it 
is yet morning : if he be a god, 
let him plead for himself, be- 
cause one hath cast down his 
altar. 

32 Therefore on that day he 



which of course the Hebrew scholar 
alone is qualified to pronounce judg- 
ment; — 'And Joash said unto all 
that stood against (rather, by, upon, 
i. e. round about, him), Will ye 
plead for Baal 1 will ye save him 
(Gideon)'? seeing that if he were a god 
whosoever should have dared to con- 
tend with him (Baal) would have 
died before morning ; if he is a god 
he will himself plead with him (Gid- 
eon), because he hath cast down 
his altar.' The drift of Joash, as we 
understand the passage, is to repre- 
sent to Baal's votaries how absurd it 
is for them to undertake to avenge 
the insult done to their idol, when if 
he were a god, as they thought him 
to be, he would assuredly have taken 
the matter into his own hands and 
punished the offender on the spot 
without suffering him to see the 
light of the morning. We have little 
doubt that this is the true sense of 
the words. The common version 
is not only contradictory in making 
Joash propose, that he who pleadeth 
for Baal should be immediately put 
to death, and then asserting that Baal 
should plead for himself; but it 
erroneoush'' renders "-ibDlT^ by 
whilst it is yet morning, when its 
true signification is until or against 
the morning, i. e. he would have 
perished against or previous to the 
morning; Baal would have killed 
him outright. The proposed ren- 
dering is clearly confirmed by the 
tenor of the next verse. The con- 
duct of Joash, under these circum-- 
stances, leads us to remark, (1.) 
That if we have been zealous in a 
bad cause, we should with greater 
zeal seek to amend what we have 
done amiss, by our open advocacy 



called him k Jerubbaal, saying, 
Let Baal plead against him, be- 
cause he hath thrown down his 
altar. 

33 IT Then all Uhe Midianites, 
and the Amalekites, and the 
children of the east were gath- 

k 1 Sam. 12 11. 2 Sam. 11. 21. See Jer. 11. 13. 
He. 9. 10. 1 ver. 3. 



of the truth. (2.) Nothing must pre- 
vail upon us to give up the innocent, 
whoever combine to destroy them. 
(3.) Though it may be highly dan- 
gerous to reprove a wicked people, 
we must do our duty, and trust God 
with the event. 

32 . He called him. Rather accord- 
ing to the Heb. idiom ' he w T as call- 
ed;' not that his father particularly 
gave him that name, but it became 
an appellation by which he was gen- 
erally called. KJerubbaal. Heb. 
i^nT Yerubbaal, doubtless contract- 
ed from 223 S*"!* 1 one with ivhom Baal 
pleads or contends; i. e. impliedly, 
one with whom Baal may plead if he 
pleases; with' whom he is challeng- 
ed to plead if he can or dare. Ac- 
cording to a very common usage, it 
is a kind of play upon the original 
word for plead (rPI reeb) which 
occurs so often in the preceding 
verse. The name was evidently 
intended to imply a standing defi- 
ance to Baal, to do his worst upon 
Gideon and his adherents. Instead 
of this name, we find in 2 Sam. 11. 
21, the equivalent title tHC-H* 1 Yer- 
ubbosheth, i. e. the ' 'shame, or the abo- 
mination, shall contend, applied to 
Gideon. Baal is in several instances 
called, in the prophets, 'the shame,' 
' the shameful thing,' &c. See Jer. 
11. 13. Hos. 9. 10, IT Saying, Let 
Baal, &c. Rather, ' meaning, Let 
Baal,' &c. Thus the original 
(ifcab) is often to be understood. 
It is equivalent to the phrase, 
1 Which being interpreted is,' &c. 

33. Then all the Midianites and 
the Amalekites — went over. Heb. 'all 
Midian and Amalek.' They passed 
over the Jordan and crossed the 
country as far as to the borders of 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VI. 



259 



ered together, and went over, 
and pitched in m the valley of 
Jezreel. 

34 But "the Spirit of the Lord 
Came upon Gideon, and he °blew 
a trumpet ; and Abi-ezer was 
gathered after him. 

35 And he sent messengers 
throughout all Manasseh ; who 
also was gathered after him : 
and he sent messengers unto 

m Josh. 17. 16. n ch. 3. 10. 1 Chr. 12> 18. 2 Cl.f. 
21.20. oNuik. 10. 3. ch 3. ?7. 

Manasseh and Issachar, and pitched 
in the ■ plain' (rather than the ' val- 
ley 5 ) of Esdraelon, anciently called 
Jezreel, of which see on ch. 5. 21, 

34. The spirit of the Lord came up- 
on Gideon. Heb* ' the spirit of the 
Lord clothed Gideon.' That is, 
filled him up fully, possessed him 
entirely, raising him above him- 
self, in all the endowments neces- 
sary for his arduous undertaking. 
Chal. ' a spirit of fortitude from be- 
fore the Lord clothed Gideon.' The 
phrase is remarkable, as intimating 
his being indued with supernatural 
courage, zeal, and wisdom in the 
prosecution of the work before him. 
Being thus clothed with the armor of 
God he ' waxed valiant in fight,' and 
was enabled to ' turn to flight the ar- 
mies of the aliens.' The same phrase 
in the original occurs IChron. 12.18. 
2 Chron. 24. 20, though in both in- 
stances rendered in our version, 
1 The spirit of the Lord came upon,' 
which comes far short of the force 
and significancy of the Hebrew. A 
similar phraseology is met with in 
the N. T. Luke 24.49, ' Tarry ye in 
the city of Jerusalem, till ye be en- 
dued (Gr» clothed) with power from 
on high.'' H And he blew a trumpet. 
Caused trumpets to ba blown to call 
in volunteers, as we before remark- 
ed of Ehud, ch. 3. 27. V Abiezer 
was gathered after him. Heb. ' was 
called together, was convoked by 
proclamation.' By Abiezer, is meant 
the house or family of Abiezer, the 



Asher, and unto Zebulun, and 
unto Naphtaii ; and they came 
up to meet them. 

36 IF And Gideon said unto 
God, If thou wilt save Israel by 
my hand, as thou hast said, 

37 pBehold, I will put a 
fleece of wool in the floor : and 
if the dew be on the fleece only, 
and it be dry upon ail the earth 
besides, then shall I know that 

p See Ex. 4. 3,4,6,7. 



kindred of Gideon, as Israel often 
stands for Israelites. 

35. Throughout all Manasseh. Pro- 
bably on both sides the Jordan. *,\ 
Unto Asher — Zebulun^-and Naph- 
taii These were near to the half 
tribe of Manasseh on the north. As 
they naturally concluded that if their 
neighbors were overrun by the Mi- 
dianites, their own turn would come 
next, they were forward to unite 
against a common enemy. The 
tribe of Ephraim lay to the south of 
Manasseh, They were not invited, 
and this gave rise to the crimination 
mentioned ch. 8. !. 

37. I will put a fleece of wool, &c. 
It is exceedingly difficult to determine 
whether Gideon desired the working 
of this miracle for the confirmation 
of his own wavering faith, or main- 
ly to strengthen the confidence of 
his followers. From the circum- 
stances of his interview with the 
Angel, from the success of his en- 
deavors to destroy idolatry in his 
father's house, from the readiness of 
several of the tribes to enlist under 
his banners, and more especially 
from its being said just before, that 
he was 'clothed with the spirit of 
the Lord,' it would seem scarcely 
credible that he could have desired 
any stronger assurance himself of 
the divine presence and blessing. 
Yet considering the weakness of 
human nature, it is more than pos- 
sible that this might have been the 
case ; that the view of the great 



260 



JUDGES. 



tA. C. 1249. 



thou wilt save Israel by my 
hand, as thou hast said. 

38 And it was so : for he 
rose up early on the morrow, 
and thrust the fleece together, 



multitudes of the enemy may have 
rather intimidated his spirit, and 
made him anxious for a still farther 
manifestation of the divine favor, 
as the seal of his commission. Some 
have even supposed that God, who 
intended to vouchsafe to him these 
new tokens of his mission, put into 
his heart to ask them. However this 
may be, the result went, (1.) To il- 
lustrate the divine condescension. 
God, instead of being offended with 
his servant, kindly acceded to his 
request. A fellow creature who had 
given such solemn promises, would 
have been quite indignant at finding 
his veracity seemingly called in 
question. How offensive was the 
apparent tenor of the request;—' If 
thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, 
and do as thou hast said } behold I will 
put a fleece of wool on the floor; 
and if the dew be on the fleece only, 
and it be dry upon all the earth be- 
side, then shall Iknowikat thou wilt 
save Israel by mine hand, as thou 
hast said: Nor did even this suf- 
fice; he must go still farther, and 
prove God a second time by revers- 
ing the request, before he can believe 
that God-will do as he has said. Yet 
the Most High, in his amazing cle- 
mency, far from being offended, 
gives him the satisfaction he desires 
and accomodates himself to the 
wishes of his doubting servant ! c Is 
this, O Lord, the manner of men!' 
(2.) To shp-iv the efficacy of prayer. 
It was prayer that prevailed in this 
instance. With great humility and 
much tenderness of spirit, Gideon 
besought the divine interposition. 
When he repeated his request for a 
second sign, the reverse of the for- 
mer, he did it with an humble apo- 
logy, like Abraham in similar cir- 
cumstances, deprecating God's dis- 
pleasure, because it looked so much 



and wringed the dew out of the 
fleece, a bowl-full of water. 

39 And Gideon said unto 
God, ^Let not thine anger be hot 
against me, and I will speak but 



q Gen. 15; 32. 



like a capricious distrust, and his 
supplication prevailed. So we, un- 
der circumstances of pressing exi- 
gency, may look for a gracious an- 
swer to our importunate prayers. 
Not that we are to expect miracu- 
lous manifestations, for the age of 
miracles is past, but we may confi- 
dently expect that even in relation 
to temporal matters, our prayers 
will not go forth in vain; while in 
reference to spiritual matters, they 
shall descend almost in visible an- 
swers on our souls. Were we to 
suppose the whole church, or neigh- 
borhood where we dwell, to be in a 
state of the utmost barrenness and de- 
solation, as it respects the blessings 
of salvation, yet if we cry earnestly 
to God, the dew ot his grace snail 
descend upon us in the richest abun- 
dance. If, on the other hand, Ihe 
judgments of heaven are poured 
forth around us, to us a merciful 
exemption shall be given, according 
to the divine promise, 'A, thousand 
shall fall at thy side, and ten thou- 
sand at thy right hand, but it shall 
not come nigh thee.' No man can 
conceive to what an extent God will 
magnify his grace and condescen- 
sion towards an humble supplicant, 
calling upon him from the depths of 
his soul, till he has himself made 
the happy experiment. ' We may 
ask what we will, and it shall be 
done unto us/ U Dry upon all the 
earth beside. Upon all the ground 
immediately adjacent to the place. 

38. Abowl full of water. For an 
account of the abundant dews which 
fall in the East, see note on Gen. 27. 
28. ' We remember,' says the edi- 
tor of the Pictorial Bible on this 
place, ' while travelling in Western 
Asia, to have found all the baggage, 
which had been left in the open air, 
so wet. when we came forth from 



A, C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



261 



this once : Let me prove, I pray 
thee, but this once with the 
fleece ; let it now be dry only 
upon the fleece, and upon all the 
ground let there be dew. 

40 And God did so that night : 
for it was dry upon the fleece 
only, and there was dew on all 
the ground. 



CHAPTER VII. 
nPHEN a Jerubbaar (who 



is 



Gideon) and all the people 



the tent in the morning, that it seem- 
ed to have been exposed to heavy 
rain, and we could with difficulty 
believe that no rain had fallen. So 
also, when sleeping in the open air, 
the sheep-skin cloak which served 
for a covering has been found in the 
morning, scarcely less wet than if 
it had been immersed in water. 5 

39. Let me prove — with the fleece. 
Let me make trial. IT Let it be dry 
upon the fleece. This might be con- 
sidered a more extraordinary event 
than the former, as it is natural for 
wool to absorb whatever moisture 
there may be in the air about it ; but 
this was in direct contravention of 
the ordinary laws of nature. ' So 
willing is God to give to the heirs of 
promise strong consolation, even by 
two immutable things. He suffers 
himself, not only to be prevailed 
with by their importunities, but to 
be prescribed to by their doubts and 
dissatisfactions. 5 Henry. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1. The well of Harod. Heb. c foun- 
tain of Harod* 5 i. e. of trepidation. 
If this were a town or village it is no 
where else mentioned. Probably 
as Tin Harad signifies to shake or 
tremble through fear, the fountain 
may have had its name from the ter- 
ror and panic with which the Mid- 
ianites were seized at this place ; or, 
what is still more likely, from the 
fear which induced many of his ad- 
23 



that were with him, rose up 
early and pitched beside the 
well of Harod : so that the host 
of the Midianites were on the 
north side of them by the hill of 
Moreh, in the valley. 

2 And the Lord said unto 
Gideon, The people that are 
with thee are too many for me 
to give the Midianites into their 
hands, lest Israel b vaunt them- 
selves against me, saying, Mine 
own hand hath saved me. 

b Deut. 8. 17. Is. 10. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 29. 2 Cor. 4. 7. 

herents to turn back from that place, 
as related v. 3, where this very word 
occurs, ^m 8*11 ifc whosoever is 
fearful and afraid. Nothing is 
more common in the Scriptures than 
for persons and places to be named 
from memorable events. The foun- 
tain was situated not far from Gilboa, 
on the borders of Manasseh. IT 
Hill of Moreh. Heb. ' hill of the 
archer. 5 Probably an eminence in 
the Gilboa range of mountains, and 
conjectured to be so called from the 
archers that there wounded Saul, 1 
Sam. 31.3. <T In the -valley. The 
valley of Jezreel or Esdraelon, of 
which see ch. 5. 21. 

2. The people — are too many. 
Though the whole army of the Isra- 
elites consisted of only 32,000, while 
that of the Midianites amounted to 
at least 135,000, or four to one to the 
Israelites, yet the Lord deems this 
small number entirely too large for 
the purposes he had in view, and 
even when diminished to 10,000, or- 
ders a still farther reduction. The 
reason of this command is given in 
what follows. The discharge of so 
large a number of volunteers by no 
means implies that they did not do 
right in willingly offering them- 
selves to the expedition; the act of 
enlisting in the service was proper 
and commendable, but God saw that 
the spirit by which they were actu- 
ated was in multitudes of them de- 
fective, and therefore so ordered it 



262 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



3 Now therefore go to, pro- 
claim in the ears of the people, 
saying, c Whosoever is fearful 
and afraid, let him return and 
depart early from mount Gilead. 



that they should be put to the test, 
while at the same time he secured to 
his own great name the entire glory 
of the victory. We often read in 
the sacred narrative of God's bring- 
ing about great events by few agents, 
but this is the first instance in which 
he purposely made them fewer. 
His design in addition to what has 
been mentioned above doubtless was, 
(1) To show that as to any particu- 
lar instruments, he' could, in effect- 
ing his purposes, easily dispense 
with them, and that they were more 
indebted to him for employing them, 
than he to them for tendering their 
services. (2) To shame and humble 
his people for their past cowardice in 
tamely submitting to the yoke of 
Midian. By the result of this enter- 
prise he would afford them convinc- 
ing proof that the disproportion of 
numbers formed no apology for their 
remissness ; that if they had, as they 
ought to have done, made sure of the 
favor of God, one of them might have 
chased a thousand. But chief of all, 
his purpose is to silence and exclude 
boasting — ' lest Israel vaunt them- 
selves against me.' ' How jealous 
is God of his honor ! He is willing 
to give deliverance to Israel, but the 
praise of the deliverance he will keep 
to himself; and will shorten the 
means, that he may have the mea- 
sure of the glory.' Bp. Hall. 

3. Proclaim in the ears of the peo- 
ple, &c. This was according to a 
standing enactment of the law, Deut. 
20. 8, the design of which was to 
prevent the contagious effects of 
cowardice or c faint-heartedness, ; in 
the army. The punctilious obser- 
vance of this precept by Judas Mac- 
cabeus is mentioned 1 Mac. 3. 56, a 
portion of ancient history which un- 
fortunately is apt to be greatly over- 
looked and undervalued in conse- 



And there returned of the peo- 
ple twenty and two thousand ; 
and there remained ten thou- 
sand. 

4 And the Lord said unto 



quence of being contained in the 
' Apocrypha.' These writings, 
though 'not canonical, are intrinsi- 
cally of very great value, and Chris- 
tians generally, if but made aware 
of their true character as to author- 
ity, would prize their Bibles none 
the less for containing them. IT De- 
part early from mount Gilead. A 
clause of very difficult solution from 
the fact, that mount Gilead was on 
the eastern side of the Jordan, 
whereas Gideon was now on the 
west, not far from mount Gilboa, and 
did not cross the Jordan till after the 
victory. Some would solve the diffi- 
culty by supposing that there was a 
mountain called Gilead on the west 
of the Jordan as well as on the east. 
But as there is no evidence of this, 
the hypothesis merely cuts the knot 
without untying it. Others again 
propose a new reading for the text, 
viz. Gilboa instead of Gilead. But 
this is equally gratuitous. For oar 
own part, as the true import of the 
Heb. 3522 rendered depart early is 
left by the lexicographers entirely 
undetermined, we feel disposed to 
abide by the rendering of the Chal- 
clee, ' Whosoever is fearful and 
afraid, let him return, and let a se- 
lection be made from mount Gilead ,' 
i. e. from the men of mount Gilead, 
or the Abiezrites, among whom 
Gideon dwelt, and upon whom he 
supposed he could put more depend- 
ence. This interpretation would 
seem to be strikingly confirmed by 
the complaint of the Ephraimites in 
ch. 8. 1, 2, on which see notes. IT 
There returned of the people twenty 
and two thousand. The application 
of a rigid test is apt to make thinning 
work in the ranks of God's pro- 
fessed friends. One would have 
thought that against such an enemy 
as Midian, and under such a leader 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



268 



Gideon, The people are yet too 
many ; bring them down unto 
the water, and I will try them 
for thee there ; and it shall be 
that of whom I say unto thee, 
This shall go with thee, the 
same shall go with thee ; and of 
whomsoever I say unto thee, 



as Gideon, no Israelite would have 
owned himself fearful and proved 
recreant to his duty. Yet two parts 
out of three turned their backs upon 
their country's standard when they 
saw the numbers and the strength of 
the enemy ! Alas, if it should be 
found that the true and constant 
hearts enlisted under the banner of 
Christ bea r no larger proportion than 
this to the whole number! Who 
will not do well to fear and tremble 
for his own fidelity 1 'Christianity 
requires men. David's royal band 
of worthies was the type of the forces 
of the church, all valiant men, and 
able to encounter with thousands. 
Doth but a foul word, or a frown, 
scare thee from Christ*? Doth the 
loss of a little land or silver disquiet 
thee % Doth but the sight of the Mid- 
ianites in the valley strike thee 1 
Home then, home to the world; 
thou art not for the conquering band 
of Christ. If thou canst not resolve 
to follow him through infamy, pri- 
sons, racks, gibbets, flames, depart to 
thine house, and save thy life to thy 
loss.' Bp. Hall. 

4. The people are yet too many. It 
is hardly possible to conceive a se- 
verer trial of faith than that to which 
Gideon's was now subjected. While 
he doubtless thought his men too few, 
God saw that they were too many, 
and ordered a still farther reduction ! 
1 This may help us to understand 
those providences which sometimes 
seem to weaken the church and its 
interests — its friends are too many, 
too mighty, too wise, for God to 
work deliverance by ; God is taking 
a course to lessen them, that he may 
be exalted in his own strength.' 
Henry. 1f J will try them. Will 



This shall not go with thee, the 
same shall not go. 

5 So he brought down the 
people unto the water : and the 
Lord said unto Gideon ; Every 
one that lappeth of the water 
with his tongue as a dog lappeth, 
him shalt thou set by himself; 



put them to the proof; or, Heb. ' will 
separate, will purify,' the word usu- 
ally applied to the assaying or re- 
lining of metals. Is. 48. 10. Mai. 3. 
2, 3. IT For thee. God himself 
knew perfectly beforehand who 
would stand the test and who would 
not, but for the satisfaction of Gid- 
eon, he would have the trial made in 
an open and convincing manner. 
IT Oftohomlsayuntothee, This shall 
go, &c. That is, whom I shall in- 
dicate by the result of the experi- 
ment, not in express words. We 
have before remarked of the word 
1 say,' when applied both to God and 
men, that it by no means necessari- 
ly implies verbal communication, but 
often simply the mental purpose of 
the speaker. Probably a better ren- 
dering throughout the clause would 
be — * will go,' ' willnot go,' &c. mak- 
ing the sense rather that of cipi'edic- 
tion, than of a command. In the 
first instance, the timorous were sep- 
arated by public proclamation; in 
the present, the same effect was to be 
produced by a private signal, under- 
stood only by God and his servant 
Gideon. Multitudes had remained 
rather than to incur the imputation 
of cowardice, whom the Most High 
still saw to be cravens at heart. 

5. Every one that lappeth — as a 
dog, &c. The two modes of drink- 
ing here described have been differ- 
ently understood, and the first, in 
particular, has been the subject of 
various interpretations. The dog 
drinks by shaping the end of his long 
thin tongue into the form of a spoon, 
which it plies rapidly to and from 
the water, throwing each time a 
spoonful of the fluid into its mouth. 
The human tongue is not adapted to 



264 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



likewise every one that boweth 
down upon his knees to drink. 

6 And the number of them 
that lapped, putting their hand 
to their mouth, were three hun- 
dred men : but all the rest of the 
people bowed down upon their 
knees to drink water. 

7 And the Lord said unto 
Gideon, d By the three hundred 
men that lapped will I save you, 

fd 1 Sam. 14. 6. 



this use ; and it is physically impos- 
sible, therefore, for a man to lap lit- 
erally as a dog laps. The true ex- 
planation undoubtedly is, that these 
men instead of kneeling down to 
take a long draught, or successive 
draughts, from the water, employed 
their hand as the dog employs his 
tongue, — that is, forming it into a 
hollow spoon, and dipping water 
with it from the stream . T his mode 
of drinking is often practised in the 
East, and practice alone can give 
that peculiar tact to it which gener- 
ally excites the wonder of travellers. 
The interchange of the hand be- 
tween the water and the mouth is 
managed with amazing dexterity 
and with nearly or quite as much 
rapidity as the tongue of the dog in 
the same act. The water is not 
sucked out of the hand, but by a pe- 
culiar jerk, is thrown into the mouth 
before the hand is brought close to it, 
so that the hand is approaching with 
a fresh supply almost before the pre- 
ceding has been swallowed ; which 
constitutes another resemblance to 
the action of the dog's tongue. In 
travelling when one comes to water 
and wishes to drink, he cannot well 
stop the whole party to wait for him ; 
and, therefore, if on foot, any delay 
would oblige him to unusual exer- 
tion in order to overtake his party. 
Therefore he drinks in the manner 
above described, and satisfies his 
thirst, in much shorter time than 
would one who should kneel or lie 
down for the purpose and indulge 



and deliver the Midianites into 
thy hand : and let all the other 
people go every man unto his 
place. 

8 So the people took victuals 
in their hand, and their trum- 
pets : and he sent all the rest of 
Israel every man unto his tent, 
and retained those three hundred 
men. And the host of Midian 
was beneath him in the valley. 



himself in a more leisurely draught. 
This consumes so much time that 
few, but those who are mounted, in- 
dulge in it, as they can ride on be- 
fore and satisfy themselves by the 
time their party comes up ; or if be- 
hind, can easily overtake them. 
This explanation will serve to show 
how the distinction operated, and 
why those who ' lapped, putting their 
hand to their mouth,' were consider- 
ed to evince an alacrity and readi- 
ness for action which peculiarly 
fitted them for the service in which 
Gideon was engaged. — It may be ob- 
served that the original word for 
lappeth (pi*! yalok) is precisely the 
sound which a dog makes in drink- 
ing. 

6. That lapped, putting their hand 
to their month. Heb. c that lapped, 
with their hand, towards their 
mouth.' HHim shalt thou set by 
himself. Heb. ;p£f). As this is the 
same word with that employed ch. 
7. 37, to signify the putting by itself 
of the fleece, it would seem that that 
miracle had a designed though latent 
reference to the two classes of men 
here distinguished; of whom the 
one saturated themselves with water, 
while the other, through a commend- 
able hardihood and self-denial, left 
themselves,comparatively dry. The 
reader, however, will exercise his 
own judgment as to recognizing any 
such allusion. 

7. Will I save you. You, the na- 
tion ; the word being in the plural. 

8. So the people took victuals, &e. 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



265 



9 1T And it came to pass the 
same e night, that the Lord said 
unto him, Arise, get thee down 
unto the host ; for I have deliv- 
ered it into thy hand. 

10 But if thou fear to go 
clown, go thou with Phurah thy 
servant down to the host : 

11 And thou shalt f hear what 
they say ; and afterward shall 
thy hands be strengthened to go 
down unto the host. Then weut 



e Gen. -16. 2. 3. 
1 Sam. 14. 9, 10. 



f v. 13, 14, 15. See Gen. 24. 14. 



That is, the three hundred who lap- 
ped. They took the necessary quan- 
tity of victuals for the day's con- 
sumption, while the others were dis- 
missed to their tents, i. e. to go 
where they pleased. It is highly 
probable, however, that many of 
them remained within hearing, 
though at a safe distance, and follow- 
ed up the blow after the assault had 
been made and the route commenced 
by the select band. Those who 
shun the conflict are often forward 
to share the victory. IF And re- 
tained. Besides the sense of ' retain- 
ing,' the Heb. implies that he clung 
to them with strong affection and 
confidence. H The host of Midian 
was beneath him in the valley. In the 
valley of Jezreel. This circum- 
stance should be particularly noted 
in connection with the dream men- 
tioned below. 

9. And it came to pass the same 
night, &c. It should seem that the 
previous reduction of his numbers 
had filled Gideon with some secret 
misgivings. God therefore gra- 
ciously offered him a farther sign, 
whereby his faith should be con- 
firmed, and his fear altogether dis- 
pelled. This was a sign that should 
be given him by the enemy them- 
selves. He was to go down with 
his servant, to the enemy's camp, 
and hear what they themselves said. 
The result perfectly satisfied the 
mind of Gideon ; he had no doubt 
23* 



he down with Phurah his ser- 
vant unto the outside of the 
armed men that were in the 
host. 

12 And the Midian ites, and 
the Amalekites, sand all the 
children of the east, lay along in 
the valley like grasshoppers for 
multitude ; and their camels 
were without number, as the 
sand by the sea-side for multi- 
tude. 

g ch. 6. 5, 33. & 8. 10. 



now but that God would fulfil his 
promise; and in full assurance of 
faith he instantly arranged everv 
thing for the encounter. IT I have 
deli vered it into thine hand. It is as 
certain as if it were already done. 

10. Go thou with Phurah thy ser- 
vant. Heb. 'thy young man.' His 
being accompanied by his servant 
would not only tend to diminish his 
own fears, but their united testimony, 
as to what they shoud hear, would 
confirm the statements made to the 
people on their return. 

11. Thine hands be strengthened. 
Thou shalt be encouraged, embold- 
ened. God, who both inspired the 
dream and directed Gideon's steps to 
the spot where he might hear it re- 
lated, knew perfectly well the effect 
it would have upon his mind, which 
he expressly foretells. IF Unto the 
outside of the armed men. Heb. ' to 
the outermost of the ranks by five.' 
Of this phrase see note on Ex. 13. 18. 
Josh. 1. 14. 

1*2. Lay along. Heb. ' were lying 
fallen;' i. e. lying prostrate and 
fallen asleep. It does not refer 
merely to the position they had cho- 
sen for their encampment, but to the 
bodily posture they were actually in 
at this time. The same phrase oc- 
curs in the same sense in the next 
verse, where mention is made of the 
prostration of the Midianites' tents. 
M Like grasshoppers. Rather, 'like 
locusts:' as also ch. 6. 5. IT And 



266 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



13 And when Gideon was 
come, behold, there teas a man 
that told a dream unto his fellow, 
and said, Behold, I dreamed a 
dream, and lo, a cake of barley- 
bread tumbled into the host of 
Midian, and came unto a tent 
and smote it that it fell, and over- 
turned it that the tent lay along. 

14 And his fellow answered, 

their camels. That these nations, 
especially Midian, abounded in 
camels, see Is. 60. 6. 

13. A cake of barley-bread tumbled, 
&c. To understand this, it is ne- 
cessary to revert to the circumstance 
before mentioned, v. 8, viz. that Gid- 
eon's forces were stationed on the 
hill of Moreh, while the Midianites 
had pitched below in the valley. 
The barley-cake which the man saw 
in his dream, doubtless seemed to 
roll down the hill into the valley, 
overturning the tent or tents with 
which it came in contact. This 
naturally enough connected it with 
Gideon, while the apparent inade- 
quacy of the cause to produce this 
effect would strike the most casual 
observer. If it had been a great 
stone, the overturning of tents in its 
progress would have occasioned no 
wonder; but that such an eifect 
should be produced by a barley-cake, 
seemed as little likely in human pro- 
bability as that Gideon with his little 
band should overthrow the vast host 
of Midian. That it was not only a 
cake, but a barley-cake, seems a cir- 
cumstance designed to show more 
strongly the insignificance of the 
cause. The use of barley was grad- 
ually superseded by that of wheat, 
and' barley -bread became the food 
only of the lower orders, of convicts, 
and of beasts. It was therefore nat- 
urally associated with the ideas of 
dishonor and insignificance. IT 
Came unto a tent and. smote it, &c, 
Another instance, as we understand 
it, of the Heb. usage by which the 
collect, sing, is employed for the 



and said, This is nothing else 
save the sword of Gideon the 
son of Joash, a man of Israel : 
for into his hand hath God de- 
livered Midian, and all the host. 
15 1F And it was so, when 
Gideon heard the telling of the 
dream, and the interpretation 
thereof, that he worshipped, and 
returned into the host of Israel, 

plural. It was not a single tent that 
was smitten by the rolling cake, and 
overthrown, but it came among them, 
like a ball among nine-pins, pros- 
trating every thing in its course. 

14. This is noticing else save the 
sword of Gideon. That is, this means 
nothing else than the sword, the vic- 
torious charge and onset, of Gideon. 
The interpretation as well as the 
dream were doubtless both of divine 
suggestion. ' A wise providence 
hath prepared a dream in the head 
of one Midianite, an interpretation 
in the mouth of another, and hath 
brought Gideon to be an auditor of 
both ; and hath made his enemies 
prophets of his victory, encouragers 
of the attempt, proclaimers of their 
own confusion !' Bp. Hall. IT De- 
livered Midian and all the host. Or, 
Heb. ' delivered Midian, even all the 
host.' 

15. The interpretation thereof. 
Heb. ' the breaking thereof;' inas- 
much as the solution or explication 
of any thing obscure and difficult is 
like breaking the shell of a nut and 
getting at the kernel within. IT 
He worshipped. Bowed himself in 
a posture of reverence and adora- 
tion, and gratefully gave thanks to 
God for the encouragement he had 
now been permitted to hear from a 
source of which he little thought. 
' To hear himself called but a barley- 
cake troubled him not, when he 
heard withall that his rolling down 
the hill should break the tents of 
Midian. It matters not how base we 
be thought, so we may be victorious: 
the soul that hath received full con- 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



267 



and said, Arise ; for the Lord 
hath delivered into your hand 
the host of Midian, 

16 And he divided the three 
hundred men into three compa- 
nies, and he put a trumpet in 
every man's hand, with empty 
pitchers, and lamps within the 
pitchers. 

17 And he said unto them, 
Look on me, and do likewise : 
and behold, when I come to the 
outside of the camp, it shall be 
that as I do, so shall ye do. 

18 When I blow with a trum- 

firmation of God in the assurance of 
his salvation, cannot but bow the 
knee, and by gestures of body tell 
how it is ravished. 5 Bp. Hall. 

16. Into three companies. Heb. 
c into three heads,' i. e. three grand 
divisions. So it is said of the rivers 
of Eden, Gen. 2. 10, that they were 
parted and became into four heads,' 
i. e. four principal or distinguished 
streams. See note in loc. The de- 
sign of dividing them in this man- 
ner was that they might appear to 
surround the enemy's camp more 
entirely, leading them to think that 
they were environed on every side 
by a great army. IT Put a trum- 
pet in every man's hand. Heb. c gave 
trumpets into the handof all of them.' 
IT Empty pitchers. Made of earthen 
ware, so as to be easily broken. 
They were designed to conceal 
the lights till the proper time. IT 
Lamps within the pitchers. Or, 
Heb. ' torches, flambeaux.' Instead 
of lamps furnished with wicks and 
fed with oil, we are probably to un- 
derstand, torches made of pitchy or 
resinous billets of wood, the flame 
of which was stronger and not so 
liable to be extinguished by the 
wind. 

17. Look on me. Heb. c see from 
me;' i. e. see from me, from my ex- 
ample, what to do yourselves, and 
when to do it. It is probable that he 



pet, I and all that are with me, 
then blow ye the trumpets also 
on every side of all the camp, 
and say, The sicord of the Lord, 
and of Gideon. 

19 IT So Gideon and the hun- 
dred men that were with him, 
came unto the outside of the 
camp in the beginning of the 
middle watch ; and they had but 
newly set the watch : and they 
blew the trumpets, and brake the 
pitchers that were in their hands. 

20 And the three companies 
blew the trumpets, and brake 



now unfolded to them minutely 
every step of the stratagem, so that 
they could all act in concert when the 
signal was given, as otherwise the 
strangeness of the scheme, the dark- 
ness of the night, and the distance of 
the men from each other, would have 
been apt to render the whole abortive. 
In these words he is merely agreeing 
upon the signal. 

18. The sword of the Lord and of 
Gideon. Heb. ' for the Lord and for 
Gideon.' The original for ' sword' 
(SPffl hereb) is not found in this 
verse, though it is necessarily im- 
plied, and occurs in the parallel pas- 
sage v. 20. It is inserted, however, 
in this place in the Chald. Syr. and 
Arab. ; and in eight of Kennicott's 
and De Rossi's manuscripts ; and is 
probably a genuine reading. This 
war-cry was taken from the inter- 
pretation of the dream, to which 
Gideon, with his usual modesty and 
in recognition of his dependence on 
divine succor, prefixed the name of 
the Lord — c The sword of the Lord 
and of Gideon.' 

19. In the beginning of the middle 
watch. A little after midnight ; for 
the Hebrews divided the night into 
three watches. At this time they 
would naturally be sunk in their 
profoundest slumbers, and of course 
be thrown into the utmost confusion 
on being suddenly awakened. 



268 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



the pitchers, and held the lamps 
in their left hands, and the trum- 
pets in their right hands to blow 
withall : and they cried, The 
sword of the Lord, and of Gid- 
eon. 

21 And they h stood every 
man in his place round about 
the camp ; *and all the host ran, 
and cried, and fled. 

22 And the three hundred 
k blew the trumpets, and ithe 

hEx. 14. 13, U. 2Chr. 2D. 17. i2Kin?s7. 7. 

k Josh. 6. 4. 16, 20. See 2 Cor. 4. 7. 1 Pa. 83. 9. 
Is. 9. 4. 



20. The three companies blew the 
trumpets, and brake the pitchers, &c. 
Every man probably dashing his 
pitcher against that of his comrade 
who stood next him. The effect of 
this, with the intermingled sound of 
the trumpets and the shouts of the 
assailants reverberating on every 
side of the camp, together with the 
sudden glare of three hundred torch- 
es blazing on the scarcely-opened 
eyes of the Midianites, must indeed 
have been astounding. As the en- 
emy could not imagine that every 
Israelite had a trumpet and a light, 
the noise of so many trumpets, the 
blaze of so many lights, with the 
crash of the broken pitchers from dif- 
ferent quarters, must have conveyed 
to their minds the most exaggerated 
ideas of the numbers by which they 
were beset. Gideon's army would 
have been great indeed if, as the 
Midianites must have supposed, the 
number of the fighting men had been 
in proportion to that of the trumpe- 
ters. It was mainly in consequence 
of this erroneous impression that the 
stratagem succeeded as it did. 

21. Stood every man in his place. 
Thus the host of Midian was dis- 
comfited without the Israelites' 
striking a blow. They stood unmov- 
ed in their places blowing their 
trumpets and holding their torches, 
as .if to encourage and give light to 
countless numbers of fighting men 
behind, while in fact they afforded 



Lord set m every man's sword 
against his fellow, even through, 
out all the host : and the host 
fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, 
and to the border of Abel-meho. 
lah, unto Tabbath. 

23 And the men of Israel 
gathered themselves together 
out of Naphtali, and out of 
Asher, and out of all Manasseh, 
and pursued after the Midian. 
ites. 

ni 1 Sam. IL 20. 2 Chr. 20. 23. 



light to the Midianites to slay each 
other, though not enough to enable 
them to distinguish friend from foe. 
IT All the host ran, &c. That is, ran 
about the camp, hither and thither, 
in wild confusion, pursuing and pur- 
sued by their own men. The ' run- 
ning' was thus distinguished from 
the ' fleeing/ which was nothing else 
than the attempt to escape from the 
place of their encampment. The 
panic was no doubt greatly increased 
by the alarm and fright of their nu- 
merous camels. IT Fled to Beth- 
shittah, &e. The names of these 
places occur not elsewhere in the 
Scriptures, except that of Abel-Me- 
holah, which was in the half-tribe of 
Manasseh on this side Jordan. As 
the Midianites would naturally strike 
towards the Jordan to cross over into 
their own country, the other places 
here mentioned "were doubtless in 
that direction from the plain of Jez- 
reel. 

23. The men of Israel gathered 
themselves together out of Naphtali, 
&c. Including probably numbers of 
the two and twenty thousand who 
had previously withdrawn them- 
selves, or been dismissed by Gideon 
as lacking the requisite degree of 
hardihood and courage for the im- 
pending conflict. Now, however, 
when bolder spirits had made the 
onset and put the enemy to flight, 
they are ready to join in the pursuit. 
But though their timidity in the for- 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VII. 



269 



24 H And Gideon sent mes- 
sengers throughout all n mount 
Ephraim, saying, Come down 
against the Midianites, and take 
before them the waters unto 
Beth-barah and Jordan. Then 
all the men of Ephraim gather- 
ed themselves together, and 



mer instance was not to their credit, 
we do not know that their neutrality 
on this occasion would have been 
guiltless. It was probably their duty 
to eome forward to the aid of their 
brethren and help them to a complete 
victory. 

24. Take before them the waters. 
Take possession of the fords of what- 
ever streams may lie in their route, 
but more especially of the fords of 
the Jordan, to prevent their escaping 
into their own country. The ' wa- 
ters' and the ' Jordan' are expressly 
distinguished, nor can they properly 
be considered the same, as is done 
by many commentators. The copu- 
lative ' and' may be regarded here, 
as often elsewhere in the Scriptures, 
as a particle of distinction ; — ' ocup- 
py all the fords that lie in the way 
till they come to Beth-barah, but 
above all those of the Jordan ;' or 
with Rosenmuller, we may render, 
1 Unto Beth-barah, even Jordan.' 
The same precaution was taken be- 
fore in the case of the Moabites, ch. 3. 
28, and was the usual practice when 
the enemy belonged to the country 
east of the river. The Beth-barah 
here spoken of is probably the same 
with that mentioned John 1. 28, 
where the Hebrews forded Jordan 
under the direction of Joshua. 

25. Slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, 
&c. These two Midianitish leaders 
had taken shelter, one in the cavern 
of a rock, the other in the vat of a 
wine-press; both of which places 
were afterwards, from this circum- 
stance, called by their names; of 
which Oreb signifies a raven, and 
Zeeb, a wolf. Among ancient na- 
tions, generals and princes often 



°took the waters unto pBeth-ba- 
rah and Jordan. 

25 And they took ^two prin- 
ces of the Midianites, Oreb and 
Zeeb ; and they slew Oreb upon 
r the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they 
slew at the wine-press of Zeeb, 
and pursued Midian, and brought 



o ch. 3. 28. 
r Is. 10. 26. 



p Johu 1. 23. q ch. 8. 3. Pe. 83. II. 



took the names of birds and beasts. 
Thus, among the Romans, we find 
Gracchus, a jackdaw, Corvinus, a 
crow, Aquilinus, an eagle, &c. IT 
And pursued Midian. Rather, Heb. 
1 pursued unto Midian/ i. e. to the 
country of Midian, to their own bor- 
ders on the other side of the Jordan. 
And if they crossed the river in the 
pursuit, why should they not have 
followed them to their own territo- 
ries, which lay near to the Jordan 1 
H Brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb 
to Gideon. It was anciently, and is 
still an almost universal custom with 
eastern nations to take off the heads 
of opposing chiefs and bring them 
to the victorious general. It is a 
sort of trophy, and has been regard- 
ed as such, at one time or other, in 
nearly all nations. David cut oft 
the head of Goliath, probably intend- 
ing to bring it to Saul ; and the head 
of Saul himself was cut off by the 
Philistines, and sent by them to their 
own country. At present the heads 
of conquered chiefs and commanders 
are transmitted to Constantinople 
from the most distant parts of the 
Turkish empire, to be laid at the 
feet of the Sultan, and then to deco- 
rate his palace gates. It is, how- 
ever, to be presumed that the senti- 
ments of a more refined civilization, 
and the silently meliorating influen- 
ces of Christianity will ere long ban- 
ish all traces of such atrocious bar- 
barity from the earth. From the fore- 
going interesting narrative respec- 
ting Gideon and his wonderful de- 
liverance, we may learn, (1) To un- 
dertake nothing in our own strength, 
(2) To draw back from nothing to 
which we are called. (3) To doubt 



270 



the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to 
Gideon on the s other side Jor- 
dan. 



JUDGES. [A. C. 1249. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

AND Hhe men of Ephraim 
said unto him, Why hast 

a Seech. 12. 1. 2 Sam. 19. 41. 



of nothing wherein God promises 
his aid. (4) To take the glory of 
nothing which God does by us. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

I. And the men of Ephraim. Heb, 
' and the man, or manhood, of Ephra- 
im;' i, e. the leading men, the eld- 
ers. See on Josh. 9. 6. This com- 
plaint was probably uttered when the 
heads of the two slain princes of Mi- 
dian were brought to Gideon, but 
whether this was before or after his 
crossing the Jordan, it is not easy 
to say. It is not determined by the 
expression, ' on the other side Jor- 
dan,' ch. 7. 25, for this phrase in the 
original Op-pi W&) signifies 
either this side or that, as the case 
may be. The probability, however, 
we think is that our translation has 
correctly rendered it ' from the other 
side,' and that Gideon had now 
passed the Jordan, but that the inci- 
dent here related comes in somewhat 
►by anticipation, in order that what 
relates to the Ephraimites might be 
finished without hereafter interrupt- 
ing the thread of the narrative. The 
interview here mentioned, we sup- 
pose to have taken place after Gide- 
on's return from the pursuit of the 
Midianites, v. 4. tf Why hast thou 
served us thus. Heb. ' what thing is 
this thou hast done unto us V V 
And thou calledst us not, &c. Rather, 
1 that thou calledst us not.' Although 
the victory of Gideon, by freeing 
them from the tyranny of Midian, 
had been of equal advantage to them 
with the rest of their brethren, yet 
from not having been sharers in the 
glory of it. this tribe was ill-affected 
in view of the result. The pique 
which is here expressed seems to 
have originated in a prior state of 
jealous feeling, existing on the part 
of Ephraim towards Manasseh. 
Ephraim was brother to Manasseh, 
the tribe from which Gideon sprung, 



and, probably, priding themselves 
on the pre-eminence assigned them 
in the blessing of Jacob and Moses, 
on the descent of Joshua from their 
tribe, on their having the tabernacle 
fixed in their inheritance, and on 
their superior numbers, they seem 
to have indulged a very bitter spirit 
of rivalry towards their brethren. 
Hence the allusion elsewhere; Is. 9. 
21, to the envy and mutual disaffec- 
tion of these two tribes. In the pre- 
sent instance, their complaint was 
evidently unjust, as Gideon had acted 
throughout under divine direction, 
instead of ordering the services of 
the tribes, at his own discretion. 
Moreover, if so disposed, they had 
the amplest opportunities to signalize 
themselves in behalf of the common 
interest. They knew their country 
was suffering under foreign oppres- 
sion, and that forces were raising 
with a view to resist it and shake off 
the yoke. What then prevented 
them from nobly coming forward 
and volunteering in the enterprise 1 
But such is the perverse tempera- 
ment of some men, that under the 
influence of a morbid and envious 
spirit, they construe every exaltation 
of their neighbor, as an injury done 
to themselves ; and nothing is more 
common than for those who will not 
attempt or venture any thing in the 
cause of God, to be ready to censure 
those who show more zeal and enter- 
prise than themselves. How often 
too, when the danger is past, does 
the coward vaunt his courage % The 
conduct of the Ephraimites on this, 
and another occasion very similar, 
which resulted in the slaughter of 
two andjforty thousand of their num- 
ber, ch. 12. 1— -7, evinces that they 
were a people of rash, hasty, and 
impetuous spirit, and the incidents 
mentioned afford a striking illustra- 
tion of two emphatic declarations of 
Scripture. (1.) That, { only by pride 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



271 



thou served us thus, that thou 
calledst us not when thou went- 
est to fight with the Midianites ? 
and they did chide with him 
sharply. 

2 And he said unto them, 



What have I done now in com- 
parison of you 1 Is not the glean- 
ing of the grapes of Ephraim 
better than the vintage of Abi- 
ezer ? 

3 b God hath delivered into 

b ch. 7.(23, 25. Phil. 2. 3. 



cometh contention;' and, (2.) That, 
* for every right work a man is en- 
vied of his neighbor. 5 V Did chide 
icith kirn sharply. Heb. ' strongly, 
with vehemence.' 

2. Is not the gleaning of the grapes 
of Ephraim better, &c. A metapho- 
rical and proverbial mode of com- 
mending the smallest action of one 
as superior to the greatest of an- 
other ; or of saying that the Ephraim- 
ites, by intercepting the enemy at 
the fords of Jordan, and slaying the 
two princes of the Midianites, had 
achieved more than Gideon and his 
army. The answer was admirably 
adapted to sooth the exasperated 
spirits of his accusers ; it was the soft 
answer which turneth away wrath. 
However much we may be disposed 
to admire great military exploits, and 
to account men honorable, in pro- 
portion to the victories they have 
j gained ; there is a victory over our- 
selves that far more dignifies a 
man, than the most extended con- 
quests over others ; and we cannot 
but regard Gideon's defeat of the 
Midianitish host, with so small a 
force, as less worthy of admiration, 
than the self-possession he exercised 
towards the offended and reviling 
Ephraimites. ' He that is slow to 
anger is better than the mighty, and 
he that ruleth his spirit, than he that 
taketh a city.' Thus does Solomon 
weigh, in an even balance, the dif- 
ferent characters above alluded to. 
Not a word of recrimination drop- 
ped from the mouth of Gideon. 
Though he might, perhaps, have 
justly said, that when the Ephraim- 
ites knew his determination to op- 
pose the Midianites, they had never 
offered their services, or come for- 
ward to assist him; but when the 
danger was over, they were ready to 



impute evils to him for omissions, 
which were chargeable only on 
themselves. But, instead of loading 
his adversaries with blame, or glanc- 
ing at any thing that might either 
betray irritation in his mind, or 
strengthen it in theirs, he is glad to 
search out causes of commendation. 
He magnifies their performance, and 
gives them the credit of doing more in 
the pursuit, in their gleanings, than 
he in the battle, the vintage of Abi- 
ezer. Instead, moreover, of saying, 
1 If God has been pleased to honor 
me, why should that be an offence to 
you V he wisely forebore to take to 
himself the credit that he justly 
might, thus hidding from them the 
light that pained their eyes, and 
casting a veil over the actions that 
had provoked their jealousy. A 
striking instance this of the * charity 
which vaunteth not itself, which 
seeketh not her own.' His conduct 
naturally leads to the remark, (1.) 
That the only w T ay to appease un- 
reasonable wrath is by curbing, in 
the spirit of meekness and forbear- 
ance, the outbreak of a kindred pas- 
sion in ourselves. Yielding paci- 
fieth great offences. (2.) True hu- 
mility not only sheds a double lustre 
over all our gifts, graces, and attain- 
ments, but is a disposition tending 
no less to the preservation of our 
own happiness, than to the concilia- 
tion of those who are offended at us ; 
for if once willing to forego the 
honor to which we are entitled, it 
will appear a small thing to us to be 
censured without a cause ; seeing 
that such censures only reduce us to 
the place which we were previously, 
in our own minds, disposed to oc- 
cupy. And it will almost invariably 
be found true, that as men are ready 
to hate those w T ho arrogate honor 



272 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1243- 



your hands the princes of Midi- 
an, Oreb and Zeeb : and what 
was I able to do in comparison 
of you ? Then their c anger was 
abated toward him, when he 
had said that. 

4 IT And Gideon came to Jor- 
dan, and passed over, he, and 
the three hundred men that were 
with him, faint, yet pursuing 
them. 

5 And he said unto the men 

c Prov. 15. 1. 

to themselves, so will they be more 
easily reconciled to those who are 
humble and unassuming. IT Better 
than the vintage of Abi-ezer. That 
is, of the Manassites, from whom 
the family of Abi-ezer, to which 
Gideon belonged, descended. Chald. 
'are not the feeble of the house of 
Ephraim, better than the strong of 
the house of Abi-ezer V 

3. Their anger was abated. Heb. 
1 their spirit relaxed, remitted itself 
from him.' How powerful to blunt 
the edge of other men's displeasure 
is a conduct conformed to the Scrip- 
tural precept, ' Let nothing be done 
through strife and vain glory, but in 
lowliness of mind let each esteem 
others better than themselves.' 

4. Gideon came to Jordan, and 
passed over. Or, Heb. c had passed 
over.' See on v. 1. What is re- 
lated in the preceding verses seems 
to be by anticipation. H Faint, 
yet pursuing. Much fatigued with 
what they had already accomplished, 
yet eager to follow up the blow, and 
determined not to give over till the 
victory was perfectly achieved. 
This is often the Christian's case in 
the prosecution of his spiritual war- 
fare. His ' mortal spirit tires and 
faints,' yet he struggles on with the 
little strength that still remains to 
him, leaning upon omnipotence, and 
resolved to conquer or die. 

5. He said unto the men of Succoth. 
From this we learn the precise spot 



of d Succoth, Give, I pray you, 
loaves of bread unto the people 
that follow me : for they be 
faint, and I am pursuing after 
Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of 
Midian. 

6 IF And the princes of Succ- 
oth said, e Are the hands of Ze- 
bah and Zalmunna now in thy 
hand, that f we should give bread 
unto thine army ? 

7 And Gideon said, Therefore 



d Gen. 33. 17. Pb. 60. 6. 
f Seel Sam. 25. 11. 



e See 1 Kings 20. 11- 



where Gideon crossed the Jordan* 
It was at the point where the Jordan 
emerges from the Lake of Genesa- 
ret, for near to this, on the east side 
of the river, in the tribe of Gad, lay 
the city of Succoth, i. e. of tents or 
booths, so called from Jacob's having 
here pitched his tents on his removal 
from Mesopotamia, Gen. 43.- 17. As 
Gideon was now engaged in the 
common cause of Israel, he had a 
right to expect succor from the peo- 
ple at large. This claim he hints at 
in the close of the verse. IT The 
people that follow me. Heb. ' that are 
at my feet.' See on ch. 4. 10. 

6. And the princes of Succoth said, 
&c. The verb in the singular, the 
noun in the plural, intimating that 
some one spoke in the name of the 
rest; or, perhaps, rather that they 
were all unanimous in this reply, as 
if they had been but one man speak- 
ing with one mouth. Comp. Num. 
32. 25. It may seem scarcely cred- 
ible that the inhabitants of Succoth 
and Peniel should refuse bread to 
their famished brethren ; but having 
been seven years under the domina- 
tion of the Midianites, to whom they 
lived contiguous, they doubtless not 
only dreaded their vengeance, but 
deemed it highly improbable that 
Gideon should succeed. 1T Are the 
hands of Zeba and Zalmunna now in 
thine hand ? Are their hands bound 
behind them as captive prisoners, 
indicating that their persons are en- 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



273 



when the Lord hath delivered 
Zebau and Zalmunna into my 
hand, sthen I will tear your 
flesh with the thorns of the wil- 
derness and with briers. 

8 IT And he went up thence 
h to Penuel, and spake unto them 
likewise : and the men of Penu 

g ver. 16. h Gen. 32. 3->. 1 Kings 12. 25. 

tirely in thy power 1 A bitter and 
malignant taunt, as if he were cele- 
brating a triumph before he had ob- 
tained the victory. ( To have ques- 
tioned so sudden a victory, had been 
pardonable ; but to deny it scornfully 
was unworthy of Israelites. Carnal 
men think that impossible to others, 
which they themselves cannot do ; 
hence their censures, hence their 
exclamations.' Bp. Hall. How of- 
ten too do those from whom we 
might reasonably look for the most 
cordial assistance, seek, like the men 
of Succoth, to weaken our hands 
and discourage our hearts 1 

7. / will tear your flesh with, the 
thorns, &c. Or/Heb. ' will thresh.' 
The threat probably relates to a 
cruel method of torture used in those 
times, for putting captives to death, 
by laying briers and thorns on their 
naked bodies, and then drawing over 
them some heavy implements of hus- 
bandry. The opinion of Drusius, 
that persons put to death in this man- 
ner were laid naked on thorns and 
briers, and then both crushed and 
trampled together, seems to be con- 
firmed by the force of the preposition 
in the original (n&0, which like the 
Latin cum, properly imports ' to- 
gether with' una cum, rather than 
'by.' Chald. 'I will mangle your 
flesh upon the thorns, and upon the 
briers.' c Thus did Gideon threaten 
the inhabitants of Succoth; and thus 
do masters, fathers, and schoolmas- 
ters, swear they will punish those 
who have offended them. To see 
the force of the figure, it must be 
kept in mind that the people (in the 
East) are almost in a state of nudity. 
To tear a man's naked body, there- | 
24 



el answered him as the men of 
Succoth had answered him. 

9 And he spake also unto the 
men of Penuel, saying, When I 
• come again in peace, k I will 
break down this tower. 

10 IT Now Zebaii and Zal- 
munna were in Karkor, and 

i 1 Kings 22. 27. k ver 17. 

fore, with briers and thorns, would 
be no small punishment. See poor 
travellers sometimes, who, in conse- 
quence of a wild beast, or some other 
cause, have to rush into the thicket ; 
before they can get out again, in con- 
sequence of thorns, they are literally 
covered with blood. There have 
been instances where a master, in 
his anger, has taken a jagged edge of 
the palmirah branch, to tear the 
naked body of his slave, and nothing 
can be more common than to threaten 
it shall be done to those who have 
given offence. People also often 
menace each other with the repeti- 
tion of the old punishment of tying 
the naked body in a bundle of thorns, 
and rolling it on the ground. Rob- 
erts. See farther respecting this 
punishment on v. 16. 

8. Went up thence to Penuel. A 
city also in the tribe of Gad near the 
brook Jabbok, and not far from Suc- 
coth; so called by Jacob for the rea- 
son mentioned Gen. 32. 30, 31. % 
Spake unto them likewise. That is, 
he made the same request to them 
that he had to the men of Succoth. 

9. When I come again in peace. 
That is, according to the Heb. idiom, 
when I return in soundness, in safe- 
ty, in triumph; as his strong faith 
assured him would be the case. He 
defers the intended vengeance for the 
present, for fear of losing time in the 
pursuit, and perhaps from a secret 
hope that they might upon farther 
reflection repent of their refusal and 
atone for it by sending succors and 
supplies after him. 1F I will break 
down this tower. They had probably 
on giving their answer pointed in- 
sultingly to a tower in which their 



274 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



their hosts with them, about fif- 
teen thousand men, all that were 
left of iall the hosts of the chil- 
dren of the east: for there fell 
a hundred and twenty thousand 
men that drew sword. 

11 IF And Gideon went up 
by the way of them that dwelt 
in tents on the east of m Nobah 
and Jogbehah, and smote the 
host f for the host was "secure, 

12 And when Zebah and 
Zalmunna fled, he pursued after 
them, and °took the two kings 
of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, 
and discomfited all the host. 

13 IT And Gideon the son of 



l ch. 7. 12. 
I Thess. 5. 3. 



m Num. 32. 35, 42. 
o Ps. 83. 11. 



n ch. 18. 27. 



chief defence lay, and intimated to 
him that he might do his worst, for 
they could amply defend themselves. 

10. In Karkor. A town near the 
east frontiers of Gad, and at no great 
distance from the source of the small 
river Jabbok. It is no where else 
mentioned. 

11. By the way of them that dwelt in 
tents. Probably he took an unwonted 
and unsuspected route along the ter- 
ritories of the Scenite or tent-dwell- 
ing Arabs. Chald. ' Gideon went 
up by the way of the camps of the 
Arabians, who dwell in tents in the 
desert.' Schmid, however, thinks 
the allusion is to a portion of the 
trans-jordanic Israelites who follow- 
ed the nomade mode of life in these 
regions, as the Arabs in the neigh- 
borhood of Midian, being among the 
1 sons of the East,' may be supposed 
more likely to have been confede- 
rate with them in the expedition, 
and not disposed to let Gideon pass 
peaceably through their borders. 
IT The host was secure. Heb. 'the 
host was become security;' not only 
secure, but in their own estimation, 
security itself. 

13. Before the sun was up. More 
correctly rendered according to the 



Joash returned from battle before 
the sun was up, 

14 And caught a young man 
of the men of Succoth, and in- 
quired of him : and he described 
unto him the princes of Suc- 
coth, and the elders thereof, even 
threescore and seventeen men. 

15 And he came unto the 
men of Succoth, and said, Be- 
hold Zebah and Zalmunna, with 
whom ye did Pupbraid me, say- 
ing, Are the hands of Zebah and 
Zalmunna now in thy hand, 
that we should give bread unto 
thy men that are weary ? 

16 ^And he took the elders 



p ver. 6. 



q ver. 7. 



Heb. oTifi l"teftbfa ' f rom l he ascen 1 
or height of Heres.' This rendering 
is confirmed by the Septuagint, the 
Syriac, and the Arabic. The ori- 
ginal ' Heres' is never used for 
' sun' except in the poetical style, 
Job, 9. 7, while express mention is 
made of mount Heres, ch. 1. 35. 
The writer's drift is probably to inti- 
mate that Gideon returned by a dif- 
ferent route from that by which he 
went. 

14. He described unto him. Heb. 
1 he wrote for him.' He gave the 
names in writing of seventy persons, 
the chief men of Succoth, who were 
most concerned in refusing him and 
his men the refreshment he request- 
ed. TT And the elders thereof. Even 
the elders thereof. The princes and 
the elders were the same persons. 

16. He took — thorns and briers of 
the wilderness, and with them he 
taught the men of Succoth. Heb. 
'made to know.' He made them 
sensible of their crime and folly ; in 
other words, he punished them by 
putting them to death by this mode 
of torture. This is to be inferred 
from the fact that their offence was 
the same as that of the men of Penu- 
el, whom he certainly did put to 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



275 



of the city, and horns of the 
wilderness, and briers, and with 
them he taught the men of Suc- 
coth. 

17 r And he beat down the 



death. The probability is that their 
naked bodies were laid in the midst 
of a heap of thorns, briers, and prick- 
ly brush, and then threshing sledges 
or other heavy implements of hus- 
bandry were drawn over them. In 
northern nations where the body is 
completely covered, the idea of such 
punishments with thorns on the na- 
ked person, seems a far-fetched de- 
vice ; but in the East, where the 
clothing leaves much more of the 
person exposed, and where, in con- 
sequence, men ,.re continually lacer- 
ating their skins in passing through 
thickets, &c, the idea of such lacer- 
ation is always kept present either 
by the actual experience of suffering, 
or by the constant observation of it. 
Hence tearing the flesh with thorns 
comes to be a familiar idea of penal 
infliction, and as such is popularly 
mentioned as among the punish- 
ments which evil-doers deserve, or 
will obtain, not only in this life, but 
in the life to come. — The punish- 
ment, it must be acknowledged, was 
severe, but the provocation was 
great. Considered as an act of in- 
gratitude and inhumanity only, it 
was exceedingly sinful; for what 
could be more base than to refuse a 
meal to those who had, at the peril of 
their own lives, delivered the whole 
nation from the yoke of Midian ; 
and were now, though only three 
hundred in number, following the 
remaining fugitives, fifty times as 
numerous as themselves, in order to 
extirpate them entirely 1 Had they 
been mere strangers and travellers in 
distress, their request would have 
been reasonable and a refusal barba- 
rous ; but considering that they were 
their own countrymen, and fighting 
{heir country's battles under the spe- 
cial calling and direction of Heaven, 
it was treason of the blackest dye ; it 



tower of 'Penuel, and slew the 
men of the city. 

18 IF Then said he unto Ze- 
bah and Zalmunna, What man- 
ner of men were they whom ye 

s I Rin?s 12. 25. 

was the very way to prevent the ex- 
ecution of the divine purposes, and 
if God had not miraculously renew- 
ed the strength of the visitors, this 
refusal of food to them would have 
done more to vanquish them than all 
the hosts of Midian had been able to 
effect. But they added insult to in- 
jury ; they endeavored to weaken 
his hands by deriding the vanity of 
his attempts ; they answered him in 
a tone of bantering and scorn, and 
thus poured contempt upon a cause 
which being of God was thereby- 
rendered sacred. So that taking 
all things into view, it cannot be ques- 
tioned that Gideon did right in ma- 
king a fearful example of such wick- 
ed traitors. The whole of this re- 
markable transaction tends to inspire 
us with confidence in God, and to 
encourage our exertions in his 
cause ; but there are two lessons es- 
pecially which we shall do well to 
iearn from it ; (1) To prosecute our 
spiritual warfare under all discour- 
agements ourselves ; and (2) To be 
careful to put no discouragements in 
the way of others. God is indignant 
with those who would weaken the 
hands of his people. His command 
is, ' Strengthen ye the weak hands, 
and confirm the feeble knees ; say 
unto them that are of a fearful heart, 
Be strong, fear not ; your God will 
come and help you.' 

18. What manner of men were 
they whom ye slew at Tabor. This 
question relates to an occurrence not 
previously mentioned, but the infer- 
ence is, that these uterine or full 
brothers of Gideon, during the seven 
year's oppression of Midian, when 
the children of Israel had been com- 
pelled to make themselves dens in 
the mountains, ch. 6. 2, had taken 
shelter in mount Tabor, where they 
were found by these two kings and 



276 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



slew at tTabor? And they an- I if ye had saved them alive, I 



s we red, As thou ar/, so were 
they ; each one resembled the 
children of a king. 

19 And he said, They were 
my brethren, even the sons of 
my mother : as the Lord liveth, 



barbarously massacred in cold blood. 
It may be that the event had occur- 
red but a short time before during 
Gideon's absence, and that he had 
merely heard a confused account of 
it; still it is not clear, simply from 
the interrogative form of the address, 
that Gideon was uncertain whether 
his brethren had perished by the 
hand of these two princes. He 
may have put the question in order 
to draw the acknowledgement of the 
deed from their own lips, and thus 
make his justice in their punishment 
more conspicuous. It should not be 
forgotten that the day is coming 
when every secret thing will be 
brought to light, and such conviction 
flash on the offenders that they will 
no longer be able to conceal their 
guilt. IT Each one resembled the 
children of a Icing. This is an Orien- 
talism still in use. Of a person who 
is beautiful or of a fair complexion, 
who is courageous, and stately in his 
gait, it is said in the East, ' He is like 
the son of a king ;' ' He is the son of 
a god.' In the measures of compar- 
ison, the king and that which be- 
longs to him, forms the superlative 
degree, and to say that a person or 
thing is kingly, or like that which 
belongs to a king, is to say that it is 
the most excellent of its kind. From 
the reports of travellers it would ap- 
pear that in some way or other, the 
royal families in the East are usual- 
ly remarkable for the beauty and 
majesty of their persons; so that the 
comparison is something more than 
a mere complimentary phrase. 

19. My brethren, even the sons of my 
mother. In countries where poly- 
gamy is tolerated, the ties of brother- 
hood are, as might be expected, 



would not slay you. 

20 And he said unto Jether 
his first-born, Up, and slay them. 
Buc the youth drew not his sword : 
for he feared, because he was 
yet a youth. 



much more close and tender between 
those who are born of the same mo- 
ther, than those who are connected 
only as the children of the same fa- 
ther. Of this we have had and shall 
have ample evidence in the sacred 
history. This explains why ' son of 
my mother' was among the He- 
brews, as now among the Arabs and 
others, a far more endearing ex- 
pression than that of 'my brother/ 
in the general sense. IT J would 
not slay you. Which he was not 
bound to do, inasmuch as they were 
not Canaanites. 

20. Up, and slay them. The He- 
brews had no executioner. When 
a man was guilty of homicide, the 
execution devolved on the next of 
kin, by right of blood-revenge; in 
other cases criminals were stoned by 
the people, the witnesses setting the 
example : and when a king or chief 
ordered a person to be put to death, 
the office was performed by the per- 
son to whom the command w r as 
given. And this w r as generally a 
person whose consideration in life 
bore some proportion to that of the 
person to be slain. In fact, the of- 
fice even of a regular executioner is 
not by any means dishonorable in 
the East. The post of chief execu- 
tioner is in most Oriental courts one 
of honor and distinction. When 
thus there was no regular execu- 
tioner, it came to be considered a 
sort of honor to put a distinguished 
person to death; and, on the other 
hand, the death itself was honorable 
in proportion to the rank of the per- 
son by whom the blow was inflicted. 
It was the greatest dishonor to perish 
by the hands of a woman or a slave. 
We see this feeling distinctly in the 



A, C. 1296.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



277 



21 Then Zebah and Zalmun- 
na said, Rise thou, and fall upon 
us : for as the man is 9 so is his 
strength. And Gideon arose, 
and "slew Zebah and Zalmunna, 
and took away the ornaments 
that.were on their camels' necks. 

22 IF Then the men of Israel 
said unto Gideon, Rule thou 
over us, both thou, and thy son, 
and thy son's son also : for thou 

u Ps. 83. 11. 

present narrative, where the two 
princes much prefer to die by Gide- 
on's own hand than by that of a 
youth who had obtained no personal 
distinction. As to the hero's com- 
missioning his son to perform this 
office, it was perhaps partly to honor 
him with the distinction of having 
slain two chief enemies of Israel ; 
as well as because the rules of blood- 
revenge made it necessary that the 
execution of those who had slain his 
own brethren, should either be per- 
formed by himself, or by a member 
of his own family. 

21 , As the man is, so is his strength. 
His strength is proportionate to his 
age, and therefore they would sooner 
be dispatched, and with less pain, by 
Gideon than by a youth. IT Took 
away the ornaments that were on 
their camels' necks. Heb. ' little 
moons, crescents.' Probably shin- 
ing plates of gold or other metal 
in the form of crescents suspend- 
ed from the camels' necks, and 
hanging down upon their breasts in 
front. The heads, necks, bodies, 
and legs, of camels, horses, and ele- 
phants, are still highly ornamented 
in Eastern countries. 

22. Rule thou over us, &c. That 
is, they would have him to be king ; 
and here it is that the Hebrews first 
betray a desire to establish a heredi- 
tary kingdom, forgetting the pecu- 
liar character of their government, 
and the high distinction which they 
enjoyed in having Jehovah for their 
king. But the pious hero himself 

24* 



hast delivered us from the hand 
of Midian. 

23 And Gideon said unto 
them, I will not rule over you, 
neither shall my son rule over 
you : *the Lord shall rule over 
you. 

24 IT And Gideon said unto 
them, I would desire a request 
of you, that you would give 
me every man the ear-rings of 

x 1 Sam. 8. 7. & 10. 19. & 12. 12. 



was mindful of it, replying in th e 
true spirit of the theocracy, ' I will 
not rule over you, neither shall my 
son rule over you, the Lord shall 
rule over you.' Gideon in modest- 
ly and piously declining the pro- 
posal acted with a moderation and 
wisdom worthy of himself. He 
would do nothing that seemed to 
trench upon the divine prerogative. 
Though he would serve them as a 
judge, he would not rule over them 
as a king. His decision showed 
how much he had in subjection the 
motives which usually prevail with 
men. The ambition of exalting a 
a family is a great snare ; but a true 
patriot, who aims not at his own, but 
the public good, will decline rather 
than seek those honors, and rest 
satisfied with deserving well of his 
country, without aspiring to rule it. 
All his sons, however," were not of 
his mind, and did not forget this of- 
fer, as will appear in the sequel. 

24. That ye would give me every 
man the ear-rings of his prey. Or, 
Heb. ' every man an ear-ring of his 
prey.' The word in the original is 
in the singular, and it seems more 
likely that Gideon would have re- 
quested a moderate contribution 
from each man, than that he should 
have demanded all the jewels of this 
kind which fell to the share of his 
followers, and which perhaps con- 
stituted the most valuable portion of 
their prey. The request of Gide- 
on, though doubtless well intended, 
was certainly unfortunate in its re- 



278 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1249. 



his prey. (For they had golden 
ear- rings, y because they were 
Ishmaelites.) 

25 And they answered, We 
will willingly give them. And 
they spread a garment, and did 
cast therein every man the ear- 
rings of his prey. 

26 And the weight of the 
golden ear-rings that he reques- 

y Gen 25. 13 & 37. 15. 2S. 



suits, as the sequel clearly proves. 
On the true import of taT3 here ren- 
dered ear-ring, see on Gen. 24. 22. 
*\ Because they were Ishmaelites. The 
Midianites were not properly Ish- 
maelites, being descended from an- 
other son of Abraham; but from be- 
ing much intermixed with them, 
from following the same mode of 
iife, and possessing the same general 
manners, they might well be so call- 
ed. Indeed the terms ' Ishmaelites' 
and c Midianites,' seem to have been 
used interchangeably from a very 
early period, Gen. 38. 25. Probably 
all those eastern kindred tribes whose 
way of life was similar, and were 
much mixed with the Arabians, 
were called Ishmaelites in a general 
sense. It is also probable that large 
numbers of real Ishmaelites acted 
with the Midianites on this occasion, 
and Boothroyd would restrict the 
words of the text to these : — ' Those 
slain, who were Ishmaelites, wore 
golden pendants.' In consequence 
of Mohammed's having prohibited 
rings of gold, the modern Arabs do 
not exhibit such costly ornaments 
as the ancient Midianites. 

25. We will willingly give. Heb- 
1 giving we will give.' The same 
feelings which had just before 
prompted them to offer him a crown, 
undoubtedly disposed them now to 
comply with his request, with the 
utmost readiness. Though he ask- 
ed but a single article from each, yet 
from the total amount of the dona- 
tion, it would seem that in giving 



ted, was a thousand and seven 
hundred shekels of gold ; besides 
ornaments, and collars, and pur- 
ple raiment that was on the 
kings of Midian, and besides the 
chains that were about their 
camels' necks. 

27 And Gideon z made an eph- 
od thereof, and put it in his city, 
even a in Oprah : and all Israel 

zch. 17. 5. ach 6.21. 

many of them went beyond the letter 
of his request, and threw in a num- 
ber. 

26. And the weight — was a thou- 
sand and seven hundred shekels of 
gold. Taking the shekel at half an 
ounce weight, the sum of the gold 
collected in ear-rings was seventy 
three pounds four ounces ; and worth , 
as gold now rates, upwards of twelve 
thousand dollars. IT Ornaments. 
The same word as that applied to 
the 'ornaments' of the camels, v. 21, 
and probably denoting articles of the 
same form and material. U Collars. 
Rather, as the original rnt^FO 
comes from £jt33 to drop, to distil by 
drops, ear-drops, or pendants of 
pearl, from their form. It Purple. 
See on Ex. 35. 35. The present is 
the first indication of purple as a 
royal color. 

27. Gideon made an ephod thereof. 
An ephod was a vestment covering 
the shoulders and extending over 
the breast, somewhat like a coat with- 
out sleeves. There were two kinds 
of them ; one, a rich garment, pecu- 
liar to the high priest, made of blue, 
purple, scarlet, and twined linen, 
curiously wrought, and embroider- 
ed with gold. In this was set the 
breastplate studded with precious 
stones, and containing the Urim and 
Thummim, by which the high priest 
consulted the will of Jehovah, Ex. 
25. 7. 28. 4. The other was made 
after the same model, but of inferior 
materials, being composed simply of 
fine linen, and worn not only by the 



A. C. 1249.] 



CHAPTER VIII. 



279 



b went thither a whoring after it : 
which thing became c a snare 
unto Gideon, and to his house. 

23 11 Thus was Midian sub- 
dued before the children of Is- 
rael, so that they lifted up their 
heads no more. d And the coun- 

b Ps. 106 39. c DfMit. 7. 1(5. ll ch 5 31. 

priests, but by the Levites and others 
in divine ministrations, as we see 
from the case of Samuel, 1 Sam. 2. 
18, and of David, 1 Sam. 17. 16, 
neither of whom belonged to the sa- 
cerdotal order. The ephod made 
by Gideon was undoubtedly design- 
ed to be of the former kind, and was 
thus wrought with great splendor. 
His real motive in this transaction 
is not very easily determined. Some 
think the ephod was designed mere- 
ly as a commemorative trophy of 
Israel's deliverance ; but, if so, it 
was a very strange one, having no 
conceivable relation to such an event. 
The more probable opinion undoubt- 
edly is, that it was intended wholly 
for a religious use. Gideon had, at 
his first calling, been instructed to 
build an altar and offer sacrifice. 
This perhaps induced him to think 
himself authorized to officiate in the 
same way, occasionally, at his own 
house, and as he knew that an ephod 
was a usual appendage to such an 
office, he might have had one form- 
ed, and finished in sumptuous style 
for this purpose. If this be the right 
conjecture, the worship performed 
was doubtless in honor of the true 
God, but it was still unauthorized 
and improper, however he may 
have considered the first commission 
as constituting a good warrant for 
his continuing the service. Even in 
his life-time, it unquestionably had 
the effect of withdrawing the atten- 
tion of the people, east of the Jordan, 
from the tabernacle at Shiloh, and 
so far tended to pave the way for that 
decline into positive idolatry, which 
took place after his death. 11 All Is- 
rael went thither, &c. They made it a 
means of practising superstition and 
dolatry j they resorted to this instead 



try was in quietness forty years 
in the days of Gideon. 

29 IF And Jerubbaal the son 
of Joash went and dwelt in his 
own house. 

30 And Gideon had nhree- 
score and ten sons of his body 

ech.9. 2,5. 



of the true ephod to inquire the will 
of God ; thus gradually forsaking 
the place which Jehovah himself 
had ordained as the one seat of wor- 
ship. To such disastrous conse- 
quences may one false step of a good 
man lead, who fails to weigh well 
the issues of his best meant conduct. 
The following suggestions naturally 
arise from the narrative. (1.) In 
God's worship human inventions 
are to be most carefully avoided, and 
the inspired word strictly adhered 
to. (2.) What may be indifferent or 
innocent to one man, may, to a 
weaker brother, be a dangerous 
snare. (3.) The beginning of sin is 
as the letting out of water. From 
small beginnings arose all the pre- 
sent horrid idolatry of the church of 
Rome. IT Became a snare unto 
Gideon, and his house. That is, be- 
came not only a source of evil per- 
sonally to Gideon, enticing his affec- 
tions from the proper object, and 
abating his zeal for the true worship 
of God in his old age, but proving 
the occasion of sin and ruin to his 
family, as appears from the ensuing 
chapter. 

28. They lifted up their heads no 
more. Recovered not their .former 
strength or spirit; were not in a 
condition again to invade or annoy 
the Israelites in their possessions. 
^ In quietness forty years in the days 
of Gideon. While Gideon lived. 
The forty years are perhaps to be 
dated from "the defeat of the Midian- 
ites, and the consequent complete 
recovery of the national liberty. 

30. Of his body begotten. Heb. 
' coming out of his thigh.' Intimat- 
ing they were his own natural sons, 
sons by generation, and not by adop- 
tion. 



280 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1209. 



begotten : for he had many 
wives. 

31 f And his concubine that 
was in Shechem, she also bare 
him a son, whose name he call- 
ed Abimelech. 

32 IF And Gideon the son of 
Joash died sin a good old age, 
and was buried in the sepulchre 
of Joash his father, h in Ophrah 
of the Abi-ezrites. 

33 And it came to pass «as 
soon as Gideon was dead, that 
the children of Israel turned 
again, and k went a whoring af- 
ter Baalim, land made Baal- 
berith their god. 

34 And the children of Israel 

fch. 9. 1. gGen. 25. 8. Job 5. 26. h ver. 27- 
ch. 6. 24. i eh. 2. 19. k ch. 2. 17. 1 ch. 9. 4, 46. 

31. His concubine that was in 
Shechem. A lawful, but secondary, 
wife, whose children could not in- 
herit. See on Gen. 16. 1—3. IF 
Whose name he called Abimelech. 
Heb. ' whose name he set, put, ap- 
pointed, Abimelech.' The name sig- 
nifies, ■ My father a king,' and was 
perhaps conferred out of complais- 
ance to his concubine, who may have 
desired it from ambitious motives. 
The incident certainly proved of 
evil omen, whether Abimelech was 
prompted to the course he pursued 
by reflecting upon the import of his 
name or not. The influence of 
names, in the formation of charac- 
ter, is probably much greater than is 
usually imagined, and deserves the 
special attention of parents in their 
bestowment. Children should be 
taught that the circumstance of their 
bearing the names of good men or 
women, who have lived before them, 
constitutes an obligation upon them 
to imitate and perpetuate their virtues. 

33. Baal-berith. That is, The 
Lord of the covenant ; so called 
perhaps from his being considered 
the deity that presided over compacts, 
leagues, treaties, covenants, &c, 



m remembered not the Lord 
their God, who had delivered 
them out of the hands of all 
their enemies on every side : 

35 "Neither showed they 
kindness to the house of Jerub- 
baal, namely, Gideon, according 
to all the goodness which he 
had showed unto Israel. 



CHAPTER IX. 

AND Abimelech the son of 
Jerubbaal went to Shechem 
unto a his mother's brethren, and 
communed with them, and with 
all the family of the house of his 
mother's father, saying, 

2 Speak, I pray you, in the 

m Ps. 78. U, 42. & 1C6. 13, 21 n ch. 9. 16, 17, 18. 
Eccles. 9. 14, 15. « ch. 8. 31. 



especially to avenge the violation of 
them. 

34, 35. Remembered not the Lord 
their God, — Neither shotoed they kind,- 
ness to the house of Jerubbaal. On 
the two concluding verses of this 
chapter, we have simply to remark, 
(1.) That they who are kept from 
evil, not so much by their own choice 
as by the restraint of others, will, 
like the slackened bow, start aside 
the moment the string is loosed. (2.*) 
We are not to wonder if they are 
ungrateful to us, who show them- 
selves destitute of all gratitude to- 
wards God. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1. Abimelech — went to Shechem. 
As Shechem was a city of note in the 
tribe of Ephraim, and the Ephraim- 
ites appear to have been a rash, 
high-spirited, and excitable people, 
particularly jealous of their brethren 
of Manasseh, and perhaps still cher- 
ishing the memory of the fancied 
slight put upon them by Gideon, ch. 
8. 1 — 3, Abimelech, no doubt, pro- 
mised himself, on this ground, the 
speedy concurrence of the Shechem- 
ites in his infamous designs. But 



A. C. 1209.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



281 



ears of all the men of Shechem, 
Whether is heiter for you, either 
that all the sons of Jerubbaal, 
which are b threescore and ten 
persons, reign over you, or that 
one reign over you ; remember 
also that I am c your bone and 
your flesh. 

3 And his mother's brethren 



his first step was to enlist his rela- 
tives in his interest, and with this 
view he applies himself to them, 
undoubtedly, with all the arts of an 
aspiring demagogue. 

2. The men of Shechem. Heb. c the 
masters of Shechem ;' implying per- 
haps the leading men, though not 
necessarily confined to this sense. 
IT Whether is better, &c. Heb. ' what 
is good 1 whether the ruling over 
you of seventy persons,' &c. From 
the authority and influence which 
Gideon had possessed, and from the 
acknowledged dignity of his family, 
the presumption would naturally be, 
that if the reins of government were 
to be lodged in any hands, it would 
be in those of some one of his sons, 
or of all of them conjointly. On this 
hypothesis Abimelech builds his 
project. But his words convey a 
slanderous insinuation which is not 
obvious to the English reader. He 
speaks of Gideon's sons ' reigning' 
(blD?3)or exercising domination over 
their countrymen, whereas it was 
just this species of rule which Gide- 
on so expressly rejected both for 
himself and his sons, ch.8. 23, as in- 
vading the prerogative of the Most 
High ; being content with the infe- 
rior degree of authority usually in- 
dicated by the term &£ej to judge. 
Nor is there any evidence., that either 
of his sons had the least intention of 
assuming a despotic sway over their 
brethren. But Abimelech's conduct, 
in this particular, affords but another 
proof that he who has a wicked pur- 
pose to serve will not stick at a lie 
to accomplish it. and that those who 
design ill themselves are ever ready 



spake of him in the ears of all 
the men of Shechem all these 
words : and their hearts inclined 
to follow Abimelech ; for they 
said, He is our d brother. 

4 And they gave him three- 
score and ten pieces of silver out 
of the house of e Baal-berith, 
wherewith Abimelech hired 



to charge similar designs upon 
others. IT Your bone and your flesh. 
Your kinsman, of your tribe and 
lineage, and therefore so much the 
more likely to promote your inter- 
ests. The relation indicated by 
these words is more or less close ac- 
cording to the connection in which 
they occur. In some cases, it im- 
plies nothing more than descent from 
a common ancestor, 1 Chron. 11.1; 
in others, kindred of the same blood, 
as Jacob and Laban, Gen. 29. 14, 
David and Amasa, 2 Sam. 19. 13; 
and in others again, it appears sim- 
ply to indicate the relation [subsist- 
ing between the inhabitants of the 
same city or town. Perhaps this is 
all that is to be understood in the 
present case. But however inter- 
preted, it was advancing a reason 
for his election, which was never 
contemplated in the appointment of 
magistrates over the nation of Israel. 
It was, in fact, directly opposed to 
the true ends of that institution; 
which required that persons chosen 
to office should be selected on the 
ground of moral qualifications, and 
that in their administration of jus- 
tice, they should be free from the 
bias naturally arising from private 
and personal regards. 

3. Their hearts inclined to follow 
Abimelech. Heb. ' their heart in- 
clined itself after Abimelech;' spok- 
en of as the heart of one man. The 
reason assigned for their adherence 
shows that his suggestions had taken 
effect. They are prompted to sup- 
port his claims, because from his 
near relationship they would doubt- 
less be raised to places of preferment 



282 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1209, 



f vain and light persons, which 
followed him. 

5 And he went unto his fa- 
ther's house sat Ophrah, and 
h slew his brethren the sons of 
Jerubbaal, being threescore and 

fch.113. 2Chr, 13 7. Prov.1'2- 11. Acts 17. 5. 
gch. 6 21. h 2Ki gs 11. 1,2. 

under him, and their city would be 
likely to be made the metropolis of 
the kingdom. ■ 

4. Out of the house of Baal-berith. 
From this it is evident that idolatry 
had gained ground again in some 
places during the life-time of Gide- 
on. The treasure deposited in this 
temple, which had perhaps been 
raised from oblations to the idol, and 
thus consecrated to idolatrous uses, 
is made through the divine coun- 
sels the instrument of bringing upon 
the idolaters deserved punishment, 
by embroiling them in a civil war 
that caused their ruin. Nothing is 
more common, in the providence of 
God, than for the revenues of sin to 
be made a plague and a curse to 
those that amass them. IT Vain 
and light persons. Worthless and 
abandoned men ; idlers and vaga- 
bonds, the very scum of society, per- 
sons who were living on the public, 
and had nothing to lose; ever the 
most fitting instruments of tyranny 
and cruelty. 

5. Sleio his brethren — threescore 
and ten persons. The real number 
would seem to have been sixty-eight, 
for Jotham escaped, and Abimelech 
himself is of course to be excepted. 
This is on the supposition that the 
whole number of Gideon's sons was, 
according to ch. 8. 30, precisely 
seventy, which however cannot be 
positively affirmed. The presump- 
tion is that seventy is here em- 
ployed as a round number. We 
have in this incident the first indi- 
cation of a savage custom which is 
not yet extinct in Asia, and under 
which a new king deems it a mea- 
sure of policy to put to death his bro- 
i hers, from a fear that their ambi- 
tion, or the favor of the people to- 



te n persons, upon one stone : 
notwithstanding, yet Jotham the 
youngest son of Jerubbaal was 
left ; for he hid himself. 

6 And all the men ofShechem 
gathered together, and all the 



wards them, might lead them to form 
designs against his dignity or life. 
Thus, the commencement of a new 
reign is signalized by the same hor- 
rible transaction as' that of which 
we here read. In Persia, where the 
same principle operates, the new 
monarchs have rather sought to se- 
cure their own safety by putting out 
the eyes of their brothers and others 
from whom they might entertain ap- 
prehensions. IT Upon one stone. 
Of the precise manner in which the 
murder was effected, we are left in 
ignorance. It was a common mode of 
capital punishment, in ancient times, 
to precipitate culprits from an emi- 
nence upon a rock or stone ; and to this 
our Saviour seems to allude, Mat. 21 . 
44. According to some, it was in this 
manner that the sons of Gideon per- 
ished on this occasion. Others sup- 
pose that the stone was used as a kind 
of altar, and that upon it Abimelech, 
in conjunction with the men of She- 
chem, made his unfortunate victims 
an oblation to Baal, in revenge for 
the sacrifice of the bullock prepared 
for Baal on the rock, ch. 6. 25, 26. 
This crime of Gideon, as these idol- 
aters considered it, they determined 
to expiate by the sacrifice of his sons. 
That the men of Shechem joined in 
this impious slaughter is indubitable 
from v. 24, and this is about all that 
can be distinctly ascertained respect- 
ing it. It is nighty probable, how- 
ever, that Abimelech, under some 
false pretence, as perhaps that of 
celebrating some festival, had con- 
vened his brethren together in one 
place. The transaction shows, what 
indeed has been shown in a thousand 
similar instances, that ruthless am- 
bition never hesitates ; that neither 
conscience nor affection, neither the 



A. C. 1209.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



283 



house of Millo, and went and made 
Abimelech king, by the plain of 
the pillar that was in Shechem. 
7 H And when they told it to 
Jotham, he went and stood in the 
top of i mount Gerizim, and lifted 

i Deui- 11.29. & 27.12. Josh. 8 33 John4.20. 



love of God nor the fear of man, re- 
strains those who are under its bane- 
ful influence. 

6. All the house of Millo. Heb. 
Bnbfc fi h 3 Beth-Millo; literally, £Ae 
house of filling up, perhaps so called 
from a deep pit or valley in the 
neighborhood of Shechem being fill- 
ed up, and a strong hold or castle 
built upon it. There is a strong 
presumption that the same place is 
intended as that which, in v. 46, is 
called ' a hold of the house of the 
god Berith.' IT By the plain of the 
pillar. Or, Heb. ' by the oak of the 
pillar.' The allusion is perhaps to 
the oak or oak-grove near which 
Joshua erected a pillar, as a witness 
of the covenant renewed between 
God and Israel, Josh. 24.26. Schmid | time when their enthusiasm was 



up his voice, and cried, and said 
unto them, Hearken unto me, ye 
men of Shechem, that God may 
hearken unto you. 

8 k The trees went forth on a 
time to anoint a king over them . 

k See 2 Ku.es 14 9. 

still implying that the incident oc- 
curred some time after the above- 
mentioned inauguration of Abime- 
lech as king. But to us it appears 
more probable that Jotham's address 
was delivered on the very same oc- 
casion with the former event, or at 
least before the people had dispers- 
ed from that convention. The place 
was the same, and from the lan- 
guage v. 18, 19, 'ye have risen up 
this day' we should naturally infer 
that the time was the same, Jotham's 
abrupt departure also after deliver- 
ing the parable, leads us to the same 
conclusion. He would of course 
entertain fears of his personal safety 
in the midst of a body of excited ad- 
I herents of his brother, at the very 



however maintains that the original 
n£tt never signifies a ' pillar' or 
'statue,' but properly a mound, or 
artificial heap, and supposes that the 
Shechemites raised up some lofty 
elevation, on the summit of which 
the ceremony of Abimelech's coro- 
nation was performed, in order to 
render the whole visible to a greater 
multitude. This structure he sup- 
poses, moreover, was situated on a 
plain near a certain well-known oak, 
which in memory of the transaction 
was thenceforward called l the oak 
of the rising heap ;' just as Deborah's 
' palm-tree,' ch 4. 6, was so called 
from her having made it 'a seat of 
justice. This view of the subject 
we are inclined to adopt. 

7. Stood in the top of mount Geri- 
zim. A mountain in the immediate 
vicinity of Shechem, of which, see 
Deut. 27. 12. Josephus says, that 
he availed himself of the occasion 
of a public festival, when great mul- 
titudes of the people were assembled 
together at the place specified, but 



wrought up to the highest pitch, and 
after uttering his message would be 
likely to make good his retreat as 
speedily as possible. At another 
time, there would have been less oc- 
casion for so much haste. IT Hear- 
ken unto me — that God may hearken 
unto you. Employing, in this mode 
of summoning their attention, a kind 
of adjuration, which would be un- 
derstood to signify that he spoke on 
this occasion by divine inspiration, 
and had a special message from God 
to deliver to them. 

8. The trees went forth, &c. Heb. 
'going, went forth;' an emphatic 
phrase, intimating the entire unani- 
mity and heartiness with which they 
entered upon the measure. We 
have in this address of Jotham the 
oldest, and one of the most beautiful 
parables in existence. It is the na- 
ture of a parable or fable to give 
1 tongues to trees,' and intelligence, 
life, and activity to all parts of the 
animate and inanimate creation. 
The truth of such a parable lies in 



284 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1209. 



and they said unto the olive-tree, 
i Reign thou over us. 

1 ch. 8. 22, 23. 



9 But the olive-tree said unto 
them, Should I leave my fatness, 



the instruction conveyed in it, and 
the feigned circumstances being 
known to be such, are no ways in- 
consistent with veracity, but greatly 
subserve the cause of truth. The 
peculiar excellence of this mode of 
instruction is, that it arrests the at- 
tention more forcibly, and conveys 
knowledge more easily, than a train 
of reasoning could do ; and convin- 
ces the judgment before prejudice 
has had time to bar the entrance of 
truth into the mind. Accordingly 
it has happened that in the East espe- 
cially, where the imagination and the 
whole mental temperament is more 
fervid and glowing than elsewhere, 
this veiled form of instruction has 
always been in high repute, whether 
in conveying wholesome truths to 
the ear of power, or inculcating les- 
sons of wisdom and justice and duty 
upon the obtuse and unreasoning 
multitude. Mr. Roberts remarks 
that, ; The people of the East are ex- 
ceedingly addicted to apologues, and 
use them to convey instruction or 
reproof, which with them could 
scarcely be done so well in any other 
way. Has a man been told a secret, 
he says, in repeating it, for instance, 
1 A tree told me this morning, that 
Kandan offered a large bribe to the 
Modeliar, to get Muttoo turned out 
of his situation.' Does a man of 
low caste wish to unite his son in 
marriage to the daughter of one who 
is high, the latter will say, ' Have 
you heard that the pumpkin wants 
to be married to the plantain tree V 
Is a wife sterile, ' The cocoa-nut 
tree in Viraver's garden does not 
bear any fruit.' Has a woman had 
children by improper intercourse, it 
is said of'her husband's garden, ' Ah, 
the palmirah-trees are now giving 
cocoa-nuts.' Has a man given his 
daughter in marriage to another 
who uses her unkindly, he says, ' I 
have planted the sugar-cane by the 
side of the margossa (bitter) tree.' 



A short fable, together with its 
'moral,' is more easily remembered 
than a labored argument or the same 
truth expressed in abstract terms, 
and hence it is that we find this ve- 
hicle of instruction so frequently 
employed in the Scriptures. Fables 
are there exemplified in all their va- 
rious uses, whether to reprove kings, 
to admonish multitudes, or to in- 
struct disciples. Our Lord himself 
did not disdain to employ them. 
They are all perfect of their kind ; 
nearly all of them are yery short j 
and in most instances, as in that now 
before us, the application is made by 
the speaker. The general moral of 
Jotham's parable is, (1) That weak 
and worthless men are ever forward 
to thrust themselves into power, while 
the wise and good are more prone to 
decline it. (2) That they who un- 
duly affect honor, and they who un- 
justly confer it, will prove sources of 
misery to each other. Both these 
points are most strikingly illustrated 
in the present fable, as compared 
with the actual results. IT To 
anoint a king. From which it ap- 
pears that the ceremony of anointing 
was in use among the neighboring 
nations long before there was any 
king in Israel ; for the scope of the 
parable makes it necessary to sup- 
pose that this was done in imitation 
of foreign tribes. As the Lord was 
their king, there was no more occa- 
sion for the Israelites setting a king 
over them, than there was lor the 
trees to appoint a protecting head 
over them. 

9. The olive-tree said, &c. As the 
bramble was the meanest and most 
worthless of all the trees of the field, 
or forest, so the olive was the most 
useful. This tree, naturalists ob- 
serve, seems to have been originally 
a native of Asia, whence it was 
transplanted into Egypt and Barbarv 
and the south of Europe. The wood 
is hard-grained and heavy, and not 



A. C. 1209.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



285 



m wherewith by me they honor 
God and man, and go to be pro- 
moted over the trees ? 

10 And the trees said to the 
fig-tree, Come thou, and reign 
over us. 

11 But the fig-tree said unto 
them, Should I forsake my sweet- 
ness, and my good fruit, and 

m Ps. 104. 5. 

liable to be injured by insects. Its 
color is yellowish, veined, and of an 
agreeable odor, while its texture ren- 
ders it susceptible of a fine polish. 
The appearance of the olive-tree is 
not unlike that of our willows, as the 
leaves are lance-shaped, or narrow, 
and hoary. The fruit when ripe is 
like a damson to the eye, with a soft 
oleaginous pulp, and a hard nut in 
the centre. In some parts of France 
the inhabitants eat the berries of the 
olive with their bread, and find them 
an agreeable and wholesome condi- 
ment. The olive, in general, re- 
quires a little preparation in brine or 
hot water to dissipate the bitter prin- 
ciple which it contains, though a 
variety, which is very uncommon in 
France, is so sweet that it may be 
eaten at once. It is probable that 
the olives of Judea, when in its pros- 
perity, vere of this character, and 
formed to the inhabitants a pleasant 
accompaniment to the more substan- 
tial articles of their daily food. The 
oil of the olive is pre-eminent among 
vegetable oils, and has not only al- 
ways had an extensive use in culi- 
nary purposes, but formed the men- 
struum or vehicle of the most cele- 
brated perfumes. IT Should I 
leave my fatness. The form of the 
original is peculiar, being apparently 
so compounded as to convey at once 
both an active and passive sense ; — 
* Shall be persuaded to make to cease 
(i. e. to forego) my fatness V — cov- 
ertly implying that the assumption 
of rank and authority involves a re- 
linquishment of one's private ease, 
advantage, and comfort. IT Where- 
with by me they honor God and man. 
25 



go to be promoted over the 
trees ? 

12 Then said the trees unto 
the vine, Come thou, and reign 
over us. 

1 3 And the vine said unto them, 
Should I leave my wine n which 
cheereth God and man, and go 
to be promoted over the trees % 



There was a large use of olive-oil in 
the service of God. The priests 
were anointed with it, the lamps in 
the tabernacle lighted with it, and 
almost all the offerings of fine flour 
cakes prepared in the pan, &c, had 
oil mingled with them ; for which 
reason Jotham might say that ' with 
it they honor God.' Moreover as 
priests, prophets, and kings were 
anointed with it, and their office was 
the most honorable, he might with 
propriety say, 'therewith they hon- 
or man.' IT Go to be promoted 
over the trees. Marg. c to go up and 
down for other trees.' Horsely, ( to 
wave or nod over the trees. 5 Our 
rendering ' promoted' comes far 
short of giving the exact force of the 
Hebrew. The original word prop- 
erly signifies to be moved to and fr?, 
to wander, to stagger, to be shaken 
and tossed. This interpretation 
gives a more lively image of the 
perils, cares, and vicissitudes of 
government, especially among a tur- 
bulent and refractory people. 

11. Should I forsake my sweetness. 
The fruit of the fig-tree is the sweet- 
est or most luscious of all fruits. A 
full ripe fig, in its own climate, has 
an indescribable sweetness ; so much 
so, that it is almost impossible to eat 
them, till a considerable time after 
they are gathered from the trees, and 
have gone through an artificial pra* 
paration. 

13. Which cheereth God and man. 
Not that God and man are cheered 
by the use of wine in the same way ; 
but as it was employed in the sacri- 
fices and offerings made to God, it 
might in that sense be said that he 



286 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1209. 



14 Then said all the trees unto 
the bramble, Come thou, and 
reign over us. 

15 And the bramble said unto 
the trees, If in truth ye anoint 
me king over you, then come 
and put your trust in my °sha- 

o Is. 30. 2. Dau 4. 12. Hos. 14. 7. 

was ' cheered' by it, because when 
thus offered he was graciously pleas- 
ed to accept of it. 

14. Then said all the trees unto the 
bramble, Come thou, and reign over 
us. The meanest and most worth- 
less of trees, and fit only to be burn- 
ed, though capable of annoyance 
from being armed with prickiy 
spikes. The original -jfca atad, 
translated * thorns' in Ps. 58. 9, and 
rendered rhamnus in the Vulgate, is 
supposed to have been a species of 
buckthorn, a native of Syria and 
Palestine, whence it migrated into 
Europe in the reign of Augustus 
Csesar. Many of the buckthorn fa- 
mily are remarkable for the length 
and abundance of their spines, and 
for the very combustible nature of 
their wood, which probably suggest- 
ed the idea of the 'fire' that was to 
come forth and consume the disaf- 
fected. It is a proper emblem of a 
base-born, impious, cruel, and op- 
pressive king. 

15. If in truth ye anoint me, &c. 
That the bramble here represents 
Abimelech, chosen and anointed 
king by the Shechemites, is the gen- 
eral opinion of commentators, both 
Christian and Jewish ; and thus far 
undoubtedly the opinion is correct. 
But when it is supposed, that the 
words spoken by the bramble repre- 
sent similar words actually spoken 
by Abimelech, it may be questioned 
whether they have hit the true scope 
of the passage. The real import of 
the bramble's reply seems to be, not 
to represent what Abimelech actual- 
ly said, but what he justly mis;ht have 
said in a spirit of prophecy, to the 
men of Shechem, intent upon his 
elevation to the throne, The bram- 



dow : and if not, Plet fire come 
out of the bramble, and devour 
the ^cedars of Lebanon. 

16 Now therefore, if ye have 
done truly and sincerely, in that 
ye have made Abimelech king, 
and if ye have dealt well with 

p ver. 20. Nnm. 21. -.8. Kzek. 19. 14. q 2 Kings 
H.9 Ps. 1H4. 16. Is. 2. 13. & 37. 24. Kze . 31. 3. 

blein answer to the proposal, does 
not decline, but accepts, the offered 
honor, but yet in the very terms of 
the acceptance, moved by a prophe- 
tic impulse, utters a prediction re- 
specting the event, implying that so 
far as this measure was not adopted 
in truth, i. e. rightly, properly, ac- 
ceptably, it would be attended w ? ith 
disastrous consequences, and the 
bramble, as an unjust usurper over 
the rest of the trees, would be con- 
sumed by a fire that should spread 
and involve in its ravages the lofty 
cedars of Lebanon. This was pre- 
cisely what Abimelech should have 
said to the men of Shechem, although* 
in point of fact, he seems to have 
been so confident of success and a 
favorable result, that nothing was 
farther from his thoughts. The 
whole drift of the passage turns up- 
on the true meaning of the phrase 
'in truth,' which is not here opposed 
to falsehood, duplicity, fraud, and 
mockery, but to conduct, which is 
wrong, improper, not founded in 
views of duty and obedience. Con- 
sequently the words that follow, ' let 
fire come out,' &c, ought rather to 
be rendered, ' fire shall come out,' 
&c, as they are merely a prediction 
of the result that would ensue, pro- 
vided their motives had not been 
right in what they had done. Jo- 
tham's application in the ensuing 
verses clearly confirms this inter- 
pretation. IF Let fire come out of 
the bramble, &c. Understood as a 
prophecy, the meaning is, that the 
man represented by the bramble will 
be a source of plagues and judgments 
to the 'cedars of Lebanon,'!, e. to 
the most eminent persons of the 
land, particularly of Shechem j a 



A. C. 1299.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



287 



Jerubbaal and his house, and 
have done unto him 'according 
to the deserving of his hands : 

17 (For my father fought for 
you, and adventured his life far, 
and delivered you out of the 
hand of Midian : 

18 s And ye are risen up 
against my father's house this 
day, and have slain his sons, 
threescore and ten persons, upon 
one stone, and have made Abi- 
melech, the son of his maid-ser- 



prediction which the sequel shows 
to have been remarkably fulfilled. 

16. If ye have done truly and sin- 
cerely. Properly rendered by the 
Vulgate, ' If ye have acted well and 
and without sin in appointing,' &c. 
The phrase isexegetical of in truth' 
in the preceding verse. The same 
expression occurs Josh. 24. 14. 

17. Adventured his life far . Heb. 
c cast his life from over against you. 1 
A metaphorical expression, highly 
significant, and requiring us to con- 
ceive that Gideon while occupying 
a place of safety, with his life un- 
jeoparded, heroically resolves to 
throw it, as one would cast a spear, 
directly towards the enemy, into the 
very midst of peril. This he did 
when he fell with only three hundred 
men upon the multitudinous hosts of 
the Midianites. Comp. ch. 5. 18, 
and 12. 3. 

18. Have slain his sons. The mur- 
derous deed perpetrated by Abime- 
lech is here charged upon the men 
of Shechem, on the ground of their 
having consented to it, approved of 
it, and probably assisted in it. Par- 
ticipators in crime justly share the 
guilt of the principals. H Son of his 
maid-servant. His concubine ; so 
called here by way of disparagement 
and reproach. Maid-servants, how- 
ever, were often adopted as concu- 
bines, Ex. 21. 7 — 10. tf Because he 
is your brother. Not because he is 
the son of Gideon, or for any intrin- 



vant, king over the men of She- 
chem, because he is your bro- 
ther :) 

19 If ye then have dealt truly 
and sincerely with Jerubbaal 
and with his house this day, then 
t rejoice ye in Abimelech, and 
let him also rejoice in you : 

20 But if not, u let fire come 
out from Abimelech, and devour 
the men of Shechem, and the 
house of Millo ; and let fire 
come out from the men of She- 



ll ver. 15, 56, 57. 



sic worth in himself, but simply from 
his bearing a relation to you, which 
you hope to turn to your advantage. 

19, If ye have dealt truly and sin- 
cerely — then rejoice ye,&c. He there- 
fore leaves it to the event, that is, to 
the providence of God, to determine 
whether they had done well or ill in 
their choice ; q. d. ' if your conduct 
towards the house of Gideon can be 
justified at any bar of justice, honor, 
or conscience, then much good may 
you have of your king , but if you 
have dealt basely and wickedly in 
this matter, then never expect to 
prosper. 5 

20. Let fire come out, &c. Or, 
Heb. 'fire shall come out,' Not 
barely a prediction, but also an im- 
precation or curse, as it is expressly 
called v. 57. As the thorn or bram- 
ble may be the means of kindling 
other wood, because it may be easily 
ignited ; so shall Abimelech be the 
cause of kindling a fire of civil dis- 
cord among you, that shall consume 
the rulers and great men of your 
country. The denunciations of pro- 
phets and good men, uttered under 
divine prompting, were often clothed 
with an efficiency which laid a foun- 
dation for the character given of 
them in what is said of the two wit- 
nesses Rev. 11. 5, 6, ' And if any man 
will hurt them, fire proceedeth out 
of their mouth, and devoureth their 
enemies. These have power to shut 
heaven, that it rain not in the days 



288 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1206. 



chem, and from the house of 
Millo, and devour Abimelech. 

21 And Jut ham ran away, 
and fled, and went to x Beer, and 
dwelt there, for fear of Abime- 
lech his brother. 

22 IT When Abimelech had 
reigned three ye irs over Israel, 

x2 Sam, 20. li. 



of their prophecy; and have power 
— to smite the earth with all plagues, 
as often as they will.' 

21. Ran away and fled and went. 
This accumulation of equivalent ex- 
pressions denotes the great haste with 
which Jotham made his escape ; 
confirming the view given above, v. 
7, of the time when this address was 
delivered. TJ To Beer. Beer sig- 
nifies a well, and is prefixed to the 
names of many places mentioned in 
Scripture, from water being found 
in their vicinity. The place here 
designated seems to have been a city 
of the Gibeonites, Josh. 9. 17, within 
the boundary of the tribe of Benja- 
min. It was situated about ten miles 
north of Jerusalem, and not far from 
Gibeah. Eusebius takes notice of 
this place as being a considerable 
Tillage in his time; and Maundrell 
informs us that the modern village 
stands in a pleasant situation on an 
edge of the hill, with a gentle decliv- 
ity to the south. At the foot of the 
hill there is an excellent spring of 
water, which may have given it its 
name, and above it are the remains 
of an old church built by the empress 
Helena. 

22. When Abimelech had reigned 
three years over Israel. Here again 
the original for ' reigned' (mfcj) is a 
word properly signifying to exercise 
despotic sway, a species of rule en- 
tirely different from the mild and 
gentle ascendancy indicated by the 
term ^5^3 to judge. The legitimate 
rulers of Israel at this time could j 
never be termed ^n^fpprinces i unless ; 
in consequence of the usurpation of! 



23 Then ?God sent an evil 
spirit between Abimelech and 
the men of Shechem ; and the 
men of Shechem z dealt tieach- 
erously with Abinelech : 

24 a That the cruelty done to 
the threescore and ten sons of 
Jerubbaal might come, and their 

y I Sam. IS. 14 & 18. 9,10. See 1 Kings 12. 15. & 

22.23. 2Lhr. 10. 15. & 18 19, &c. U. i9.2, 14. 

z Is 33 I Hi Kings 2. 32. E*th. 9 25 Ps. 7. 16. 
Matt. 23. 35, 36. 

a power which the primitive struc- 
ture of their government did not 
allow. It is probable that Abime- 
leciYs authority did not at first ex- 
tend beyond the city of Shechem, 
which had appointed him king. 
But by gradual encroachments he 
seems to have extended his sway 
over some of the adjacent towns and 
territories, compelling them to ac- 
knowledge his power, as we find 
him, v. 50, going against Thebez, in 
the tribe of Ephraim, as a rebellious 
city that seems to have refused sub- 
jection to him. By the phrase 
' reigned over Israel,' we are doubt- 
less to understand a part of lsrael t 
i. e. such tribes as submitted to him. 
23. God sent an evil spirit. That 
is, permitted the evil spirit of dis- 
cord and treachery to break out. 
Under the direction of providence, 
but not in consequence of any posi- 
tive agency, jealousies were suffered 
to arise, which produced factions, 
and these factions in their turn pro- 
duced insurrections, civil conten- 
tions, and bloodshed. Comp 1 
Kings 22. 23. Ps. 78. 49. The 
throne of violence never stands se- 
cure. The blood upon which it has 
been established seldom fails to un- 
dermine it at last, IT Dealt treach- 
erously. The original properly im- 
plies faithlessness, or the being luant- 
ing to one"s engagements, and is es- 
pecially applied," Jer. 3.20, to con- 
jugal infidelity. The Shechemites 
brake their covenant with Abimelech 
and shook off his yoke, but how far 
they were chargeable in this with a 
moral delinquency in the sight of 



A. C. 1206.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



239 



blood be laid upon Abimelech 
their brother which slew them, 
and upon the men of Shechem 
which aided him in the killing 
of his brethren. 

25 And the men of Shechem 
set liers in wait for him in the 
top of the mountains, and thev 
rohb d all that came along that 

God we pretend not to say. The 
word perhaps in this connection does 
not carry any such implication with 
it. 

24. That the cruelty, &c. That is, 
the just revenge of that cruelty; in- 
dicating the end, the scope, of the 
sovereign permission mentioned in 
the preceding verse. Sooner or 
later the justice of God will make in- 
quisition for blood, especially the 
blood of the innocent. IT Which 
aided him. Heb. 'which strength- 
ened his hands.' 

25. Set liers in wait. The writer 
now goes on to state in what manner 
the evil spirit of dissension before 
spoken of began to produce its legi- 
timate effects. The disaffection 
which had been some time growing 
in secret at length taking advantage 
of Abimelech's temporary absence 
from Shechem, assumed the charac- 
ter of open revolt, and a conspiracy 
was formed to make a prisoner of 
him whom they had lately hailed as 
prince. God is often pleased to pun- 
ish bad men by the very persons who 
have contributed to their elevation, 
thus chastising them with the rods 
which they themselves have gather- 
ed. IT Robbed all that came along 
that icay Disappointed and impa- 
tient probably by reason of Abime- 
lech's delay in returning, those who 
were posted in ambu-h were prompt- 
ed to enact upon others the violence 
intended for him, and more especi- 
ally, we may suppose, upon such of 
his known adherents as chanced to 
pass that way. 

26. And Gaal the son of Ebed 
came, &c. The mention of this per- 
son is somewhat abruptly introduced, 
25* 



way by them : and it was told 
Abimelech. 

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed 
came with his brethren, and 
went over to Shechem : and the 
men of Shechem put their con- 
fidence in him. 

27 And they went out into 
the fields, and gathered their 



and we know no more of him than 
is here stated. It has been conjec- 
tured that he was a native Canaan ite 
from his courting the Shechemiies 
into subjection to the men of Hamor, 
who was anciently, in the days of 
Jacob, lord of this city. However 
this may be, there is little doubt that 
he was a man of rank and influence, 
who had once been a citizen of She- 
chem, but for reasons unknown had 
ceased for a time to be a resident 
there. Being however of a bold, 
aspiring, ambitious character, and 
finding the troubled state of the city- 
propitious to his designs, he returns 
accompanied with a strong party of 
relatives, and begins plotting at once 
to put himself at the head of affairs. 
IT Went over to Shechem. Or, Heb. 
1 passed by into Shechem.' That is, 
probably, passed by the liers in wait. 
Knowing them to be a party hostile 
to Abimelech and favorable to their 
own views, they suffered them to 
pass without molestation. It is not 
unlikely that Gaal had been previ- 
ously in correspondence with the 
disaffected part of the Shechemites, 
and was fully advised of the state of 
things in the city. IT Put their 
confidence in him. So as to make 
him head of the faction which had 
been organizing against Abimelech, 
but which hitherto had lacked a suit- 
able leader. Vulg. 'at whose com- 
ing the inhabitants of Shechem took 
courage.' 

27. And they went cut, &c. Or, 
Heb. 'and when they had gone out, 
&c. — then they made merry.' The 
original for ' making merry' is prop- 
erly ' making songs, or making 
praises,' and refers to the custom 



290 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1206. 



vineyards, and trode the grapes, 
and made merry, and went into 
b the house of their god, and did 
eat and drink, and cursed Abi- 
melech. 

28 And Gaal the son of Ebed 
said, c Who is Abirnelech, and 
who is Shechem, that we should 
serve him 1 is not he the son of 
Jerubbaal ? and Zebul his offi- 

b ver 4. c I Snm. 25. 10. I Kings Vi- 1?. 

celebrating the harvest of vintage 
with songs of rejoicing and other fes- 
tivities; of which see Lev. 19. 24. 
Is. 16. 9, 10. Jer. 25. 30. H Went 
tnto the house of their god, &c. In 
imitation of the worshippers of the 
true God, who resorted to the sanc- 
tuary on such occasions. IT Cursed 
Abirnelech. Loading his name with 
the foulest reproaches and revi lings, 
and perhaps calling upon their god 
to ratify their imprecations. The 
excitement occasioned by wine in 
scenes of mirth and banqueting natu- 
rally prepares men for murders, trea- 
son, and every evil w r ork. 

28. Who is Abirnelech, and who is 
Shechem? That is, the Shechemites. 
Compare them together, put this 
base-born, worthless usurper by the 
side of us native Shechemites, and 
what reason can be assigned for our 
subjection to him % IT Is he not the 
son of Jerubbaal ? Spoken by way of 
disparagement and contempt, as if 
despising his memory and prompted 
by an indignant recollection of the 
act on which his name was founded, 
viz. his throwing down the altar or 
Baal. Thus do men of turbulent 
and ambitious spirits ' despise domin- 
ions, and speak evil of dignities,' and 
thus are the most valuable services 
of the best of men requited by the 
vile find worthless. IT And Zebul 
his officer? Heb. 'his overseer;' 
prob?bly made governor of Shechem 
by Abirnelech in his absence. Are 
you so mean-spirited and cowardly 
that you not only submit to the 
tyrant himself, but suffer his very 
servants to lord it over you, and par- 



cer? serve the men of d Hamor 
the father of Shechem : for why 
should we serve him ? 

29 And e would to God this 
people were under my hand ! 
then would I remove Abirnel- 
ech. And he said to Abirnelech, 
Increase thine army, and come 
out. 

30 IT And when Zebul the ni- 



di Gen. 34. 2 6. 



ticularly this contemptible Zebul 1 
M Serve the men of Hamor. The des- 
cendants of Hamor. If ye will be in 
subjection, call some one to author- 
ity who is descended from the an- 
cient and legitimate stock of She- 
chem, instead of this ignoble alien 
despot. This was perhaps a virtual 
challenge to them to fix their choice 
upon himself, as deriving his origin 
from this source. This is confirm- 
ed by what follows. TT The father 
of Shechem. The father or founder 
of the city and the race of the She- 
chemites; the name of an individual 
standing for the whole people. 

29. Would to God this people were 
under my hand I An exclamation 
disclosing the hidden source which 
usually prompts the complaints of 
artful demagogues against the exist- 
ing order of things, and their large 
professions of concern for the public 
welfare ; though seldom so frankly 
declared as in the present instance. 
His words clearly evince that his 
real object was not so much to 
recover the liberties of his country- 
men, as to persuade them to a change 
of rulers. It is not easy to set bounds 
to the mischief that may be effected 
by an artful leader working upon the 
minds of an inflamed populace. IT 
Then would I remove Abirnelech. 
Would speedily remove, dispatch, or 
make way ; with an emphatic expres- 
sion, implying more in Hebrew than 
in English. IT He said to Abirne- 
lech, Increase thine army, &c. As 
we have no evidence that Abirnelech 
was within hearing of these words, 
the probability is, that being heated 



A. C. 1205.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



291 



ler of the city heard the words 
of Gaal the son of Ebed, his an- 
ger was kindled. 

31 And he sent messengers 
unto Abimelech privily, saying, 
Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed, 
and his brethren, be come to 
Sheclvm ; and behold, they for- 
tify the city against thee. 

32 Now therefore up by night, 
thou, and the people that is with 

with wine and puffed up with arro- 
gance, Gaal addresses and defies 
him, in this bravado style, as though 
actually present. Yet it may be", 
that he sent word by some of Abini- 
elech's friends to their master, that 
he was willing to dispute the point 
with him, allowing him at the same 
time every advantage on the score of 
numbers which he could desire. 
Let him gather all his allies, and do 
his worst, still he would find the son 
of Ebed more than a match for him. 

30 His anger was Hndlcd. How- 
ever he might have felt for his mas- 
ter's honor, it was scarcely to be ex- 
pected that he should pass by the in- 
sult cast upon himself. It would 
seem. v. 30, that from motives of po- 
licy he had hitherto temporized with 
the disaffected party at Shechem, but 
he now becomes decided, though he 
is still restrained from open mea- 
sures against the insurgents. 

31. Sent messengers — privily. Heb. 
1 craftily, in fraud.' That is, the 
pretended object of his sending them 
did not correspond with his real ob- 
ject. His ' givings out' were far re- 
moved from his ■ true-meant de- 
signs.' If he had discovered himself 
to be wholly for Abimelech, the men 
of the city might at once have risen 
against him and put him to death. 
He therefore goes warily to work to 
acquaint Abimelech with the ene- 
mies' designs, and to put him in a 
way to revenge the insults cast up- 
on them both. IT They fortify the 
city against thee. Heb. fcS^ are be- 
sieging } from the root yg to besiege ) 



thee, and lie in wait in the field : 

33 And it shall be, that in the 
morning, as soon as the sun is 
up, thou siiult rise early, and 
set upon the city : and behold, 
token he and the people that is 
with him come out against thee, 
then mayest thou do to them as 
thou shalt find occasion. 

34 1T And Abimelech rose up, 
and all the people that were 



to press with siege, usually spoken of 
hostile operations carried on by in- 
vaders from without, and not without 
great violence applied to defensive 
measures adopted by those within a 
city For this reason the expres- 
sion, we suppose, is to be taken me- 
taphorically for the influence exert- 
ed by Gaal and his party upon the 
minds of the citizens, in stirring up, 
exciting, augmenting the sedition 
that was spreading through the city. 
They were engaged in pressing, ur- 
ging, instigating the citizens against 
Abimelech, and therefore it was im- 
portant for him to make haste in ad- 
vancing upon Shechem. 

33. Set upon the city. We doubt 
if this rendering gives'the true force 
of the original, or the real policy of 
Abimelech. He does not seem to 
have designed, at least at present, to 
attack the city while Gaal was in it. 
He even abstained from this after 
he had overcome him in the open 
field, and nothing that we can see 
prevented his pushing his conquest 
into the heart of Shechem, v. 40. 
But the true import of the word is to 
spread one's self, to expand, and the 
phrase may be rendered, 'spread 
thyself (thy forces) against or to- 
wards the city,' i. e. with a view to 
lure out Gaal to an engagement in 
the open field. IT As thou shalt find 
occasion. Heb. ' as thine hand shall 
find ;' an Hebraism, properly ren- 
dered in our translation. Comp. j 
Sam. 10. 7. where the same phrase 
occurs. 

34. Abimelech rose up. Addressed 



292 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1206. 



with him, by night, and they 
laid wait against Shechem in 
four companies. 

35 And Gaal the son of Ebed 
went out, and stood in the enter- 
ing of the gate of the city ; and 
Abimelech rose up, and the peo- 
ple that were with him, from 
lying in wait. 

36 And when Gaal saw the 
people, he said to Zebul, Behold, 
there come people down from 
the top of the mountains. And 
Zebul said unto him, Thou seest 
the shadow of the mountains as 
if they were men. 

37 And Gaal spake again, 
and said, See, there come peo- 
ple down by the middle of the 



himself to the matter before him, en- 
tered upon the business in hand. 
See on Josh. 1.2. 

35. Laid wait. Probably in some 
of the mountains in the immediate 
vicinity, as is to be inferred from v. 
36. IT In four companies. Heb. 
'in four heads;' a term applied to 
the general divisions of any thing. 

35. Gaal went out — and stood at 
the entering of the gate. Probably 
not alone, but at the head of his 
forces, either to lead them forth up- 
on some short excursion about the 
city, or to be prepared for whatever 
assault might be meditated against 
him. £ Had he been as valiant as 
he was vigilant, it might have gone 
better with him and his partisans.' 
Tra.pp. 

46. He said to Zebul, Behold, &c. 
The familiarity existing between 
these two individuals, under their 
present circumstances, shows very 
clearly that Zebul had hitherto dis- 
sembled his real sentiments and pur- 
poses. It is not possible otherwise 
to account for such an interview at 
this time between parties so related. 

37. By the middle of the land. Heb. 



land, and another company come 
along by the plain of Meo'ne- 
uim. 

38 Then said Zebul unto him 
Where is now thy mouth, where- 
with thou f saidst, Who is Abi- 
melech, that we should serve 
him 1 is not this the people that 
thou hast despised ? go out, I 
pray now, and fight with them. 

39 And Gaal went out before 
the men of Shechem, and fought 
with Abimehch. 

40 And Abimelech chased 
him, and he fled before him, and 
many were overthrown and 
wounded, even unto the entering 
of the £>ate 

41 And Abimelech dwelt at 



' from the navel of the land.' That 
is, as Gesenius and other lexicogra- 
phers explain it, from the height, the 
most elevated summit, of the land. 
IT By the plain of Meonenim. Or, 
Heb. 'by the oak of the augurers, 
or regarders of times;' probably a 
tree or cluster of trees where sup- 
erstitious auguries were performed, 
or where certain soothsayers dwelt. 

38. Where is now thy mouth ? 
Where is now thy boasting, thy vain 
bravado, of which thou wert lately 
so profuse'? Does thy courage be- 
gin to quail upon the bare sight of 
the enemy 1 In proportion as Abi- 
melech approached, Zebul begins to 
speak with more effrontery, and 
throw off his disguise, though his 
words still had the air of merely ex- 
citing Gaal to go forth like a man 
and redeem the pledge he had before 
given. Gaal thus had proof that 
those who are rebels themselves 
must not expect fidelity in their as- 
sociates. 

29. And Gaal ivent out, &c. The 
only becoming answer to such cut- 
ting taunts and sarcasms was to sally 
boldly forth against the enemy. But 



A. C. 1206.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



293 



Arumah : and Zebul thrust out 
Gaal and his brethren, that they 
should not dwell in Shechem. 

42 And it came to pass on the 
morrow, that the people went 
out into the field ; and they told 
Abimelech 

43 And he took the people, 
and divided them into three com- 
panies, and laid wait in the field, 
and looked, and behold, the peo- 
ple were come forth out of the 



the special hand of God was in the 
event for his punishment. ' Where 
iniquity breakfasts, calamity will be 
sure to dine.' Trapp. 

41. Abimelech d-relt in Arumah 
Heb. ' sat down in Arumah. 1 He 
retired hither for the present with 
his army, still cherishing the design 
of gaining iarther advantages. IT 
Zebul thrust out Gaal and his bre- 
thren. These words, it would seem, 
are not to be taken as indicating a 
violent expulsion. For if Zebul and 
his party had obtained a complete 
ascendancy in the city, why did they 
not at once deliver up Gaal and his 
faction to Abimelech, and receive 
him within the walls 1 The fact un- 
doubtedly was, that notwithstanding 
the recent defeat, the crafty Zebul 
saw that Abimelech's interest in the 
city was not strong enough to justify 
him in completely throwing off the 
the mask, and he accordingly went 
to work, like a skilful master of in- 
trigue, to undermine Gaal in the af- 
fections of the people by hypocriti- 
cally grieving over the recent disas- 
ter, and persuading them that it was 
owing to the cowardice and bad 
management of their leader. This 
is the account Josephus gives of the 
matter, and we think the correct one. 
The consequence was, that Gaal 
made an ignominious exit from the 
city, and we hear no more of him. 

42. The people went out into the 
field. To follow their usual employ- 
ments. As Abimelech had w r ith- 



city ; and he rose up against 
them, and smote them. 

44 And Abimelech. and the 
company that was with him, 
rushed forward, and stood in the 
e. tering of the gate of the city : 
and the two other companies ran 
upon all the people that were in 
the fields, and slew them. 

45 And Abimelech fought 
against the city all that day; 
and she took the city, and slew 

g ver. 20. 

drawn his forces, they issued forth 
not dreaming but they were entirely 
secure. But the wrath of a king 
does not so easily subside. IT They 
told Abimelech. A Hebrew idiom 
for 'it was told to Abimelech.' 

43. And he took the people, &c. 
We prefer to render this in the plu- 
perfect, 'for he had taken,' &c, as 
it seems far less likely that he should 
set an ambush, while the people were 
already in the field, and could easily 
discover all his movements. More- 
over, the last clause of the verse as 
read in the original, 'behold, the 
people coming forth,' plainly shows 
that their egress from the city took 
place after the ambush was laid. 

44. And Abimelech and the company 
that was with him, &c. This verse 
details in a more particular manner 
the circumstance of the v smitting' 
mentioned above, and at the same 
time anticipates the question, why 
the people attacked did not at once 
betake themselves to the city. Be-. 
cause, says the narrative, Abimelech 
with a strong detachment interposed 
himself and cut off the communica- 
tion between them and the city, that 
they might neither make their re- 
treat within the walls, nor receive 
any succors from thence. ' When we 
go out about our business, we are 
not sure that we shall come home 
again; there are deaths both in the 
citv and in the field.' Henry 

45 Took the city, &c. Though 
the city of his nativity, yet he fell 



294 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1206. 



the people that was therein, and 
h beut down the city, and sowed 
it with salt. 

4() IT And when all the men 
of the tower of Shechem heard 
that, they entered into a hold of 
the house iof the god Berith. 

47 And it was told Abime- 
lech, that all the men of the tow- 
er of Shechem were gathered 
together. 

49 And Abimelech gat him 
up to mount k Zalmon, he and all 
the people that were with him ; 
and Abimelech took an axe in 
his hand, and cut down a bough 
from the trees, and took it, and 
laid it on his shoulder, and said 

h Deut 29 23 1 Ki..?s |2 25. 2 Kings 3- 25. 
i ch. 8 33. k Ps 68. 1J. 



unto the people that were with 
him, What ye have seen me do, 
make haste, and do as I have 
done. 

49 And all the people like- 
wise cut down every man his 
bough, and followed Abimelech, 
and put them to the hold, and set 
the hold on fire upon them : so 
that all the men of the tower of 
Shechem died also, about a thou- 
sand men and women. 

50 IT Then went Abimelech 
to Thebez, and encamped against 
Thebez, and took it. 

51 But there was a strong 
tower within the city, and thi- 
ther fled all the men and womerij 



upon it with merciless barbarity, 
laid it in ruins, by beating down its 
walls and buildings, and slew all the 
inhabitants ! His sowing it with 
salt was in token that he designed it 
to become a perpetual desolation. 
The salt was not intended to render 
it barren, for a town or city is not ' 
designed for culture, but for build- i 
ing; but as salt is an emblem of in- \ 
corruption and perpetuity, ii was em- \ 
ployed to perpetuate the memory of | 
this transaction. By comparing ; 
Deut. 29. 33, it would appear that 
there was an allusion in the act to 
the destruction of Sodom and Go- 
morrah. Yet all his efforts did not 
avail to make its desolation perma- 
nent, for it was afterwads rebuilt, 
and became so considerable a place 
that all Israel resorted thither to 
make Rehoboam king, 1 Kings 12. 1. 
46. The men of the tower of Shechem. 
Heb. ' the lords or masters of the 
tower.' How these persons are dis- 
tinguished from the other inhabi- 
tants of Shechem, or how this tower 
stood related to the city, it is ex- 
tremely difficult to determine. It is 
not unlikely that it was a castle be- 
longing to the city and situated in 



its vicinity, to which a considerable 
portion of the population had pre- 
viously betaken themselves to escape 
the fury of their invader. What- 
ever it were, it was now deemed too 
insecure an asylum to trust to, and 
its occupants withdrew to a strong- 
hold in the precincts of the temple, 
where they promised themselves 
safety if not from its strength, at least 
from its sacredness. But in putting 
themselves under the protection of 
their idol, that w r hich they hoped 
w 7 ould have been for their welfare, 
proved to them a snare and a trap. 
It is highly probable that this was 
no other than the place called, v. 6, 
' the house of Millo,' which was to 
be involved in the catastrophe pre- 
dicted in Jotham's curse, v. 20, an 
event most strikingly accomplished 
when the place was set on fire by 
Abimelech. 

48. Mount Zalmon. A mountain 
in the vicinity of Shechem, so called 
from the abundant shade caused by 
the forests with which it was cover- 
ed. See Ps. 68. 15. 

50. Encamped against Thebez. A 
city of Ephraim in the neighborhood 
of Shechem, and about thirteen miles 



A. C. 1206.] 



CHAPTER IX. 



295 



and all they of the city, and shut 
it to them, and gat them up to 
the top o( the tower. 

52 And Abimelech came un- 
to the tower, and fought against 
it, and went hard unto the door 
of the tower to burn it with fire. 

53 And a certain woman 
>cast a niece of a millstone upon 
Abimelech's head, and all to 
break his skull. 

54 Tnen m he called hastily 

12 Sam. 11.21. m So 1 Sam 31.4. 

west from Bethshan (Scythopolis.) 
According to Euscbius and Jerome 
it continued till their time, or to 
about four hundred years after 
Christ, but at the present day it has 
wholly disappeared. 

51- A strong tower within the city. 
Doubtless a sort of citadel such as 
exists in most considerable towns in 
western Asia, and which serves the 
people as a last retreat when the 
town is taken by an enemy, and 
where the people shut themselves up 
on occasions of popular tumult. In 
some parts of the East such towers 
are to be seen in the open country, 
where the neighboring peasantry 
may deposit their more valuable 
property, or themselves take refuge, 
when the approach of an enemy or 
of a plundering tribe is expected. 

53. A piece of a millstone Literal- 
ly, l a piece of a chariot-wheel,' but 
elsewhere applied to upper-millstones. 
IT And all to break his skull. In near- 
ly all the copies of the English Bible 
printed in England, the verb appears 
in the past tense ' brake,' whereas in 
all or nearly all the American edi- 
tions the word is 'break,' as in the 
text above. The former reading is 
certainly the correct one. The er- 
ror in our editions has arisen from 
a misapprehension of the true mean- 
ing of the phrase ' all to.' Accord- 
ing to the present use of language, 
this would seem rather to express 
intention than the result of action, 
but it really expresses the latter. 



unto the voung man his armor- 
bearer, and said unto him, Draw 
thy sword, and slay me, that 
men say not of me, A woman 
slew him. And his young man 
thrust him through, and he dud. 

55 And when the men of 
Israel saw that Abimelech was 
dead, they departed every man 
unto his place. 

56 H "Thus God rendered the 
wickedness of Abimelech, which 

n v. 24, Job 31. 3. I's. 91. 23. Prov. 5. 22. 

' All to,' in many of the old English 
writers, means 'altogether,' ' entire- 
ly,' or as Johnson says, is used, ' as 
a particle of more enforcement ;' and 
so doubtless it is used here ; q. d. 
'she entirely or utterly brake his 
skull.' Not understanding this, many 
copies of the common version, have 
changed it to indicate intention, by 
substituting ' break' for 'brake.' 

54. And he died. Abimelech's de- 
vices to avoid the disgrace of perish- 
ing by the hands of a woman, avail- 
ed him little, for nearly three centu- 
ries afterwards we find his death as- 
cribed to the woman who threw the 
piece of millstone from the wall, 2 
Sam. 11. 21. ' There now lies the 
greatness of Abimelech ; on one 
stone he had slain his seventy breth- 
ren and now a stone slays him ; his 
head had stolen the crown of Israel, 
and now his head is smitten. O the 
just succession of the revenges of 
God ! Gideon's ephod is punished 
with the blood of his sons, the blood 
of his sons is shed by the procure- 
ment of the Shechemites : the blood 
of the Shechemites is shed by Abi- 
melech ; the blood of Abimelech is 
spilt by a woman. The retaliations 
of God are sure and just, and make 
a more due pedigree than descent 
of nature.' Bp. Hall. 

56. Rendered the wickedness. Re- 
quitted, recompensed the wickedness. 
Both the fratricide Abimelech and 
the unprincipled men of Shechem 
had the iniquity visited upon them of 



296 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1183. 



he did unto his father, in slaying 
his severity brethren : 

57 And all the evil of the 
men of Shechem did God ren- 
der upon their heads : and upon 
them came °the curse of Jo- 
tham the son of Jerubbaal. 

CHAPTER X. 

AND after Abimelech there 
'arose to defend Israel, To- 
la the son of Puah, the son of 
Dodo, a man of Issachar ; and 
he dwelt in Shamir in mount 
Ephraim. 

* on -~t,nic 



which they had been guilty. Man's 
judgment may be avoided, but there 
is no escaping from the judgment of 
God. The recorded end of Abime- 
lech suggests the remark, (1.) That 
they who thirst for blood, God will 
at last give them their own blood to 
drink. (2.) The weak in God's hand 
can confound the mighty, and those 
who walk in pride he is able to 
abase. (3.) They who in life consult- 
ed only their pride and ambition, 
will usually die as they live, more 
solicitous that their honor should be 
preserved on earth, than that their 
souls be saved from hell. (4.) The 
methods proud men take to secure a 
great name, often only serve to per- 
petuate their infamy. 

CHAPTER X. 
1 . Arose to defend. Heb. * arose to 
save or deliver? To sustain the of- 
fice and act the part of a savior or de- 
liverer, in case it should be necessary. 
They were now freed from the tyr- 
anny of Abimelech, and as far as 
appears enjoyed prevailing peace, 
yet they were still liable to annoy- 
ance and incursions from the neigh- 
boring powers, and it was fitting that 
they should have a head to preside 
over their concerns, repressing in- 
ternal discords, maintaining union. 



2 And he judged Israel twen- 
ty and three years, and died, and 
was buried in Shamir. 

3 IT And after him arose Jair, 
a Gileadite, and judged Israel 
twenty and two years. 

4 And he had thirty sons 
that b rode on thirty ass colts, 
and they had thirty cities, c which 
are called Havoth-jair unto this 
day, which are in the land of 
Gilead. 

5 And Jair died, and was buri- 
ed in Camon. 

6 IF And d the children of Is- 

b ch. 5. 10. ft 12. 14. cDeut. 3. 14. d ch. 2. li- 
ft 3. 7. ft 4. 1. & 6. 1. ft 13. 1. 



guarding against idolatry, and pre- 
pared at all times to take the field in 
their defence. U Dwelt in Shamir ', 
in mount Ephraim. Though of the 
tribe of Issachar, yet when raised to 
the government, he came and dwelt 
in mount Ephraim, as being a more 
central station, one to which the peo- 
ple might more conveniently resort 
for judgment. 

4. Thirty sons that rode on thirty 
ass colts, &c. A very remarkable 
indication of eastern manners, and 
of the state of the times. It seems 
that the people so generally went 
about on foot, that to ride on an ass, 
that is, to ride at all, was considered 
a mark of wealth and distinction. 
So we afterwards read of Abdon 
another judge, ch. 12. 14, that 'he 
had forty sons and thirty nephews 
that rode on threescore and ten ass 
colts.' No doubt this conveyed to 
the ancient Hebrews the idea of as 
much consideration as it does among 
us to say, that a person keeps a car- 
riage. Josephus, perhaps from 
thinking the indication undignified, 
changes the asses to horses. IT 
Thirty cities — called Havoth-jair 
unto this day. Heb. ' villages of 
Jair.' We read in Num. 32. 41, that 
'Jair the son of Manasseh went and 
took the small towns thereof, and 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER X. 



297 



rael did evil again in th« sight 
of the Lord, and •served Baalim, 

and Ashtaroth, and f the gods of 
Syria, and the gods of *Zidon, 
and the gods of Moab, and the 
gods of the children of Amnion, 
and the gods of the Philis- 
tines, and forsook the Lord, 
aud served not him. 

7 And the anger of the Lord 

e ch. 2. 13. fch. 2. 12. g 1 Kmgs 11. 33. Ps. 1,6 
36. 

called them Havoth-jair,' from 
which some have supposed that the 
Jair there mentioned is the same 
person with the judge spoken of in 
the passage before us. But the for- 
mer was doubtless the ancestor of 
the latter, though the names of the 
villages in question were retained 
unaltered from the original posses- 
sor. Their number, as we learn 
from 1 Chron. 2. 22, was at first only 
twenty-three, but the remaining 
seven were added in process of time. 
The circumstance affords evidence 
of the rank and opulence of the fa- 
mily. 

6. Did evil again. Heb. 'added 
to do evil.' The defection here men- 
tioned was undoubtedly very gross 
and of aggravated enormity/ They 
became in a sense universal idola- 
ters, adopting all the gods of the sur- 
rounding nations. They scarcely 
seem to have admitted the God of Is- 
rael as one of the many deities they 
worshipped, but to have cast him off 
altogether. ■ Those that think to 
serve both God and mammon, will 
soon come entirely to forsake God, 
and to serve mammon only. If God 
have not all the heart, he will soon 
have none of it.' Henry. 

7. And he sold them. See on ch. 2. 
14. IT Into the hands of the Philis- 
tines and — of Amman. The one on 
the west, the other on the east ; so 
that they were grievously annoyed 
on both sides. 

8. That year they vexed and op- 
pressed the. children of Israel eighteen 
years. We know not what sense to 

2Q 



was hot against Israel, and be 
b sold them into the hands of the 
Philistines, and into the hands of 
the children ot" Amnion. 

8 And that year they vexed 
and oppressed the children of Is- 
rael eighteen years, all the chil- 
dren ot Israel that were on the 
other side Jordan in the land oj 
the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 



make of this clause as it now stands, 
which seems to bring an oppression 
ofeighteen year's continuance within 
the space of one year. Probably the 
solution is to render the verbs in the 
pluperfect, ' and that year they had 
vexed and oppressed them eighteen 
years ;' i. e. that year completed the 
period of eighteen years during 
which they had proved a scourge to 
them. The oppression commenced 
during the administration of Jair, 
perhaps nearly at the same time 
with the apostacy which caused it, 
and at the lime of his death, had con- 
tinued eighteeen years. This last 
event, though occurring after the 
apostacy commenced, is mentioned 
before it by prolepsis or anticipation, 
than which nothing is more fre- 
quent in the sacred writers. The 
terms employed in the original to in- 
dicate the severity of the oppression 
are very expressive. They import 
crushing and breaking to pieces, a 
metaphor apparently drawn from the 
action of two mill-stones upon the 
substance placed between them, to 
which Henry strikingly compares 
the condition of the Israelites at this 
time under the grinding oppression 
of the two hostile powers on either 
side of them, the Ammonites and the 
Philistines. Another remark of the 
same commentator respecting this 
apostacy of Israel is well worthy of 
insertion here. ' God had appointed 
that if any of the cities of Israel 
should revolt to idolatry, the rest 
should make war upon them and cut 
them off, Deut. 13. 12, et infr. They 



298 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161. 



9 Moreover, the children of 
Ammon passed over Jordan, to 
fight also against Judah, and 
against Benjamin, and against 
the house of Ephraim : so that 
Israel was sore distressed. 

10 IT iAnd the children of Is- 
rael cried unto the Lord, say- 
ing, We have sinned against thee, 
both because we have forsaken 
our God, and also served Baa- 
lim. 

11 And the Lord said unto 
the children of Israel, Did not 

ilSam. 12.10. 



had been jealous enough in this mat- 
ter, almost to an extreme, in the case 
of the altar setup by the two tribes 
and a half, Josh. 22, but now they 
are grown so very bad, that when 
one city was infected with idolatry, 
the next took the infection, and, in- 
stead of punishing, imitated and out- 
did it ; and therefore since they that 
should have been revengers to exe- 
cute w T rath upon them that did this 
evil, were themselves guilty, or bare 
the sword in vain, God brought the 
neighboring nations upon them to 
chastise them for their apostacy.' 

9. The children of Ammon passed 
over Jordan. The Philistines pro- 
bably harrassed the children of Is- 
rael in the south of Canaan, west of 
the Jordan ; and the Ammonites the 
two tribes and a half to the east of 
that river. The spirit of conquest or 
of aggression, however, soon led the 
latter to cross the Jordan. It seems 
probable that they rather vexed and 
distressed the trans- Jordanic tribes, 
than kept them in entire subjection; 
and afterwards extended their incur- 
sions to the west of the Jordan. 
They were justly punished by the 
Amorites, for they had so utterly de- 
generated and conformed to their 
heathen neighbors, that Ezekiel in 
addressing the Israelitish nation, ch. 



/ deliver you k from the Egyp- 
tians, and ifrom the Amorites, 
m from the children of Ammon, 
"and from the Philistines ? 

12 °The Zidonians also, Pand 
the Amalekites, and the Maon- 
ites ^did oppress you ; and ye 
cried to me, and I delivered you 
out of their hand. 

18 r Yet ye have forsaken me, 
and served other gods : where- 
fore I will deliver you no more. 

14 Go and "cry unto the gods 
which ye have chosen ; let them 

kEx. 14. 30. 1 Num. 21.21, 24.25. m ch. 3' 
12, 13. n ch. 3- 31. o rh. 5. 19. p afa. 6 3. 

q Ps. 106. 42, 43 r Deut. 32. 15. Jer. 2. 13. ■ Deut, 
32.37,38. 2 Kings 3. 13 Jer. 2. 23. 

16. 3, says by a bold figure, ! Thy fa- 
ther was an Amorite, and thy mo- 
ther a Hittite.' 

10. Both because we have forsaken, 
&c. They specify di:»tinctly the two 
forms of their transgression ; first, in 
departing wickedly from God, 
secondly, in serving idols. Under 
the deep impression of their guilt in 
this conduct, they made good the 
words of the prophet, Is. 26. 16, 
' Lord, in trouble have they visited 
thee j they poured out a prayer when 
thy chastening was upon them.' 
The first step of a sinner's return to 
God is the discovery of his own 
great guilt, and a sense of his de- 
served ruin, and this in order to be 
available must be accompanied with 
the most sincere and penitent ac- 
knowledgment of his aggravated of- 
fences. 

11. And the Lord said, &c. In 
what manner these reproofs were 
conveyed to the Israelites, we are 
not informed. It was probably 
through the medium of some inspir- 
ed prophet, or of the high priest, 
whose duty it was to learn the will 
of heaven in all trying emergencies. 

14. Go and cry unto the god's 
which ye have chosen. Which ye 
have not served upon compulsion, 
but which ye have freely and volun- 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER X. 



299 



deliver you in the time of your 
tribulation. 

15 IT And the children of Is- 
rael said unto the Lord, We 
have sinned : *do thou unto us 
whatsoever seemeth good unto 
thee ; deliver us only, we pray 
thee, this day. 



tarily chosen. The Most High does 
not turn away his ear from their 
prayers, nor sink them in utter de- 
spair, yet he sends a sharp and up- 
braiding answer, of which the im- 
mediate effect would be to awaken 
their consciences, and confound them 
under a sense of their baseness and 
ingratitude. Many a time they had 
been delivered and those very op- 
pressors subdued under them; yet 
they had vilely sinned against their 
own mercies. He therefore refers 
them for help to the gods whom they 
had served, to rebuke their folly and 
convince them of the weakness of 
these lying vanities. Yet the em- 
phatic declaration, ' I will deliver 
you no more,' is to be understood 
conditionally, in case their idols 
were kept among them ; for the di- 
vine threatenings always imply a re- 
serve of mercy to the truly penitent. 
(1.) If God appears to frown upon 
the returning sinner, let him not de- 
spair; it is no more than his desert, 
indeed, if he be utterly rejected ; but 
with the Lord there is mercy and 
forgiveness, and a heart of over- 
whelming kindness is sometimes 
temporarily concealed by an aspect 
of wrath. (2.) When we are 
brought to a real sense of our sins, 
we shall see the vanity and insuffi- 
ciency of those things to make us 
either safe or happy, in which we 
formerly trusted. 

15. Do unto us whatsoever seemeth 
good unto thee. Heb. 'do unto us 
according to all (that is) good in 
thine eyes.' 

16. They put away the strange 
gods. Heb. ' the gods of the stran- 



16 u And they put away the 
strange gods from among them, 
and served the Lord : and x his 
soul was grieved for the misery 
of Israel. 

17 Then the children of Am- 
nion were gathered together, 
and encamped in Gilead. And 



u 2 Chr. 7. 14. & 15. 8. 
44, 45. Is. 63. 9. 



Jer. 18. 7,8. 1 Pi. 1-6. 



ger.' In coming before God not 
only is every excuse for sin to be re- 
nounced, and the plea of, guilty, 
guilty, sincerely to be made, but if 
we would approve our repentance 
real, the sins we confess are instant- 
ly to be discarded. When this is the 
case, and our transgressions are 
truly our bitterness and burden, 
though we may stand trembling un- 
der the black review, yet there is 
hope. IT His soul was grieved. 
Not that there is really any grief in 
God, for being infinitely happy in 
himself^he is inaccessible to any such 
emotion ; but it is spoken after the 
manner of men, to represent to us 
more forcibly the abounding compas- 
sions of his heart. He acted towards 
his people like one who felt for their 
sufferings, like a kind father, who 
cannot but be grieved over the afflic- 
tions of his children. He had pity 
upon them, restraining his severities, 
and giving new and merciful com- 
plexion to his dispensations towards 
them. The Heb. is ' shortened, con- 
tracted, straitened ;' a term expres- 
sive of a state of mind the opposite of 
equanimity, long suffering, forbear- 
ance ; implying at once a sympathy 
with suffering and a kind of im- 
patience in redressing it. How 
consoling the thought that no pro- 
digal returns to God but his pater- 
nal heart yearns over him touched 
with a feeling of his wretchedness, 
and ready to embrace the most mis- 
erable of sinners. 

17. The children of Ammon were 
gathered together. Heb. ' were cried 
together;' i. e. were convened by 
means of criers sent over the country 



300 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 116L 



the children of Israel assembled 
themselves together, and en- 
camped in * Mizpeh. 

18 And the people and princes 
of Gilead said one to another, 
What man is he that will begin 
to fight against the children of 
Amnion ? he shall z be head over 
all the inhabitants of Gilead. 

j ch. 11. 11, 29. Gen. 31. 49. i oh. 11. 8, 11. 

in every direction to stir up all the 
enemies of Israel. H Encamped in 
Mizpeh. There were several places 
of this name, but as the war here de- 
scribed was waged on the east of 
the Jordan, the Mizpeh alluded to 
in the text was undoubtedly that in 
the trans- Jordanic half tribe of Ma- 
nasseh, and of which an account is 
given Josh. 11. 3. 

18. The people and the princes 
said. Heb. 'the people the princes 
said ;' indicating by a remarkable 
phraseolgy how closely related, not 
to say identified, were the people and 
the rulers among these eastern tribes. 
Though the nominal distinction ex- 
isted, yet the interests of each were 
so completely the same, that their re- 
spective denominations are as it 
were merged in each other. How 
different the spectacle presented by 
the governments of nearly every 
European nation for the last two 
thousand years, and continued to the 
present day ! IT Shall be head, &c. 
Shall not only take the conduct of 
the present war, but when the war is 
over shall, as a reward for his servi- 
ces, be continued as the governing 
head of this people. This verse 
comes in here as an introduction to 
the following narrative. 

CHAPTER XL 

1. Now Jepthah — was a mighty 
man of valor. More properly per- 
haps, ( had become.' The original 
rpn is not merely a verb of existence, 
but denotes the transition of its sub- 
ject, from one state to another. 
'When its meaning is simply ' is,' or 
: was,' it is almost invariably omitted 



CHAPTER XI. 

]\JOW a Jephthah the Gileadite 
was b a mighty man of val- 
or, and he was the son of a 
harlot : and Gilead begat Jeph- 
thab. 

2 And Gilead's wife bare him 
sons ; and his wife's sons grew 
up, and they thrust out Jeph- 

a Heb. 11.32. b ch. 6. 12. 2 Kings 5. I 



in the original. Here, however, i* 
is inserted, and probably hints at the 
process by which Jepthah had gradu- 
ally become distinguished. IT The 
son of a harlot. Heb. ' a woman, a 
harlot.' Not begotten in lawful wed- 
lock. The Jewish commentators 
for the most part give a softening 
exposition of the term here employ- 
ed, as if it imported merely a concu- 
bine, or a gentile, i. e. a foreign or 
strange woman, not one of the Isra- 
elitish race, as she is termed in v. 2. 
But without doing violence to its 
ordinary and most legitimate sense, 
we know not how to depart from the 
rendering of the text. At the same 
time, it is to be observed, that our 
limited knowledge of the actual 
state of manners and society in those 
ancient periods prevents us from af- 
firming, that the word conveys pre- 
cisely the idea of public addictedness 
to degrading vice which its modern 
acceptation imports. It may have 
indicated a character somewhat less 
vile and iniquitous, but the ambigu- 
ity of the term is not sufficient to 
cover all disgrace in Jepthah 's ori- 
gin. His extraction, however, what- 
ever it was, w~as the fault and dis- 
grace of his parents rather than of 
himself, and a man should not be re- 
proached with the unhappiness of 
his birth, when his own conduct be- 
speaks him deserving a more honor- 
able relation. IF Gilead begat Jepthah. 
One of the descendants of the Gilead 
mentioned Num. 32. 1. Josh. 17. 1, 
3, and bearing his name. To what 
tribe he belonged is not certain, but 
probably that of Manasseh beyond 
the Jordan. 1 Chron. 7. 14. 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XL 



301 



thah, and said unto him, Thou 
shalt not inherit in our father's 
house ; for thou art the son of a 
strange woman. 

3 Then Jephthah fled from 
his brethren, and dwelt in the 
land of Tob : and there were 



2. Gilead's wife. His lawful wife, 
in contradistinction from Jepthah's 
mother. IT Thou shalt not inherit, 
&c. That he was not entitled to 
to share in the inheritance was a 
matter of course, for even the child- 
ren of the lawful secondary wife or 
concubine were not admitted to this 
privilege, Gen. 21. 10.— 25. 6, much 
less the issue of such an illicit con- 
nection as that in question. But 
Jepthah's brethren were probably 
actuated by some secret motive of 
jealously or envy, which they would 
fain conceal by the plea of illegiti- 
macy and outlawry here advanced; 
for it does not appear that his expul- 
sion from his father's house was ne- 
cessary simply on this account. At 
any rate, he evidently regarded it as 
a gross outrage upon his rights, v. 7, 
and one which the elders and magis- 
trates of the city connived at and 
abetted. The pretence of legal right 
is often a mere cover to the foulest 
wrongs and injuries. IT Of a strange 
woman. Heb. ■ of another woman.' 
That is, other than his lawful wife, 
and probably a foreigner. See on 
Ex. 1. 8. Deut. 29. 26. Jer. 22. 26. 

3. Fled from his brethren. Heb. 
1 from the face of his brethren. MIn 
the land of Tob. A region so called 
perhaps from the name of the indi- 
vidual who was its first or most dis- 
tinguished inhabitant. Its precise 
locality is not known, but from the 
facility of communication it was 
doubtless in the near vicinity of Gil- 
ead. Comp. 2 Sam. 10. 6, 8. IT 
Were gathered vain men to Jepthah, 
and went out with him. Heb. ' emp- 
ty men ;' that is, idle, worthless, pro- 
fligate men, a lawless rabble. The 
original D^rn is a term of great re- 

26* 



gathered c vain men to Jephthah, 
and went out with him. 

4 H And it came to pass in 
process of time, that the children 
of Ammon made war against Is- 
rael. 

5 And it was so. that when 



proach, being the same with ' Raca, 
in the New Testament. The mean- 
ing evidently is, that Jepthah, being 
without any inheritance or family 
connections to afford him a subsis- 
tance, and being expelled from his 
native place, became an adventurer, 
and his character having brought 
around him a number of brave but 
idle men, perhaps similarly circum- 
stanced, he made predatory incur- 
sions into the neighboring countries. 
This is what is meant by ' going out 
with him,' a phrase frequently ap- 
plied to warlike and plundering in- 
roads upon an enemy's territory. 
Probably they went out particularly 
into the land of the Ammonites, to 
retaliate the incursions which the 
latter made into Israel; and Jep- 
thah's success or skill in these free- 
booting expeditions acquired him so 
much reputation, that the people 
would naturally be led to look to him 
when they wanted a military leader. 
The mode of life here indicated is 
precisely that which was followed 
by David, when his reputation 
brought around him men of similar 
character to these followers of Jep- 
thah. This kind of military robbery 
is far from being considered dishon- 
orable in the East. On the contrary, 
the fame thus acquired is thought as 
fair as any that can be obtained 
through any class of military opera- 
tions. An Arab or Tartar desires 
no higher or brighter distinction than 
that of a sucessful military robber ; 
and to make that fame unsullied, it 
is only necessary that his expedition 
should not be against his own nation 
or tribe. 

4. The children of Ammon made 
war against Israel. Or, perhaps 



302 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161. 



the children of Ammon made 
war against Israel, the eiders of 
Gilead went to fetch Jephthah 
out of the land of Tob : 

6 And they said unto Jeph- 
thah, Come, and be our captain, 
that we may fight with the chil- 
dren of Ammon. 



more properly, ' had made war,' and 
were now encamped in Gilead. We 
are here carried back in point of 
time to the period mentioned ch. 10. 
17, the historian having returned 
from his digression concerning the 
parentage and early life of Jepthah. 
The words ' in process of time,' 
Heb. 'after days/ probably refer to 
the period immediately antecedent 
to the expulsion of Jepthah. Many 
days after he had been thrust out in 
disgrace, he was brought back again 
with honor. 

5. Went to fetch Jepthah. Heb. 
{ to take ;' that is, to persuade to go. 
See note on Josh. 24. 3, and on Gen. 
2. 15. This was undoubtedly with 
the approbation, if not with the ex- 
press direction of Jehovah. 

6. Come and be our captain. The 
manner in which God overrules the 
ill-meant actions of men to the fur- 
therance of his designs is here very 
observable. If Jepthah had not been, 
as he was, the object of his brethren's 
unkindness he had lost the opportu- 
nity to exercise and improve his mar- 
tial genius, and so failed to signalise 
himself in the eyes of his country- 
men. So it often happens that the 
providences which are, to appear- 
ance, our greatest misfortune, are 
necessary to fit as for the work for 
which God designs us. 

7. Did ye not hate me and expel me, 
&c. Though the act of his expul- 
sion was primarily that of Jepthah's 
brethren, yet these elders had either 
actively aided in it, or by forbearing 
to prevent or punish the injury, had 
virtually made themselves partakers 
in the guilt of it ; and with this he 
plainly charges them. ' Magistrates 



7 And Jephthah said unto the 
elders of Gilead, d Did not ye 
hate me, and expel me out of 
my father's house ? and why 
are ye come unto me now when 
ye are in distress ? 

8 e And the elders of Gilead 
said unto Jephthah, Therefore 

d Gen. 26. 27. e ch. 10. 18. 

that have power to protect those that 
are injured, if they do not do them 
right, really do them wrong.' Henry. 
TT Why are ye come unto me now when 
ye are in distress ? Not that Jepthah 
was unwilling to save his country, 
but he thought fit to give them a hint 
of their former unkindness, that they 
might repent of it, and in future be 
more sensible of their obligations. 
Thus Joseph humbled his brethren 
before he made himself known to 
them. The same language too may 
be applied by Christ to impenitent 
sinners, who after doing what in 
them lies to expel the Saviour from 
his inheritance in their own hearts, 
in the church, and in the world, still 
fly to him and supplicate him for 
succor in the day of their distress. 

8. Therefore we turn again unto 
thee. This cannot be meant of a 
local turning or returning to Jepthah, 
for the words were obviously spoken 
at the first interview, from which 
they had not yet retired. The phrase 
doubtless has reference to a change 
of mind, a turning again in the state 
of their feelings toioards him. It is 
as if they had said, ! We are con- 
vinced that we have done thee wrong, 
and that thou hast just ground of 
complaint ; but we renounce the feel- 
ings we have formerly cherished, 
and we now come to acknowledge 
our fault and to make thee full re- 
paration. As a proof of our since- 
rity we proffer thee this honor, which 
shall counterbalance the dishonor 
we have put upon thee.' The incident 
may serve to remind us, (1.) That 
the least we can do when we hav© 
injured a fellow-being, is to confess 
frankly our wrong, and ask his par- 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XL 



303 



'we f tum again to thee now, that 
thou mayest go with us, and 
fight against the children of Am- 
nion, and be sour head over all 
the inhabitants of Gilead. 

9 And Jephthah said unto the 
elders of Gilead, If ye bring me 
home again to fight against the 
children of Ammon, and the 

f Luke 17. 4. gch.10. 18. 

don. (2.) That we should beware 
of despising or trampling upon any 
man, so as to make him our enemy, 
for we know not how much need we 
may have of his friendship and ser- 
vices before we die. (3.) That men 
of worth who are undervalued, dis- 
paraged, and ill-treated should bear 
it wijh meekness and cheerfulness, 
leaving it to God to vindicate their 
good name in his own way. Their 
judgment shall finally come forth 
as the noon-day. 

9. If ye bring me home again. If 
ye recall me from the place where I 
am now fixed, to the place from 
whence I was expelled. IT Shall I 
be your head ? Not only your leader 
in this war, but permanent judge and 
chief magistrate. Having to deal 
with persons whom he had reason 
to distrust, he determines to bind 
them to their compact by the most 
unequivocal assurances. c Jepthah's 
wisdom had not been answerable 
to his valor, if he had not made his 
match beforehand. He bargains 
therefore for his sovereignty ere he 
win it.' Bp. Hall. In all our agree- 
ments it is well to be explicit and so- 
lemn, that afterwards there may be 
no room for subterfuge or evasion. — 
As the service before him was one in 
which he would naturally endanger 
his life, he deems it right that he 
! should be duly rewarded, especially 
! as he seems to have thought it was 
only in this way that he could effec- 
tually secure himself against the 
treacherous designs of his brethren, 
whose ill will and injuries he had 
once experienced. That there might 
also have been some tincture of am- 



Lord deliver them before me, 
shall I be your head ? 

10 And the elders of Gilead 
said unto Jephthah, h The Lord 
be witness between us, if we do 
not so according to thy words. 

11 Then Jephthah went with 
the elders of Gilead, and the peo- 
ple made him 'head and captain 



bition insinuating itself into his mo- 
tives, is perhaps not improbable* 
The spirit of pious dependence, how- 
ever, on the divine blessing argues 
strongly in favor of his general spi- 
rit. He does not speak with confi- 
dence of his success, but qualifies it 
with a peradventure. — ' if the Lord 
deliver them before me,' — as if in- 
tending to remind his countrymen, 
to look up to God, as he himself did, 
as the giver of victory. 

10. The Lord be witness between us. 
Heb. 'be the hearer between us.' 
They confirm their promise by the 
solemnity of an oath, appealing to 
God's omniscience as the judge of 
their present sincerity, and to his 
justice as an avenger, if they should 
afterwards prove false to tneir en- 
gagements. ' Whatever we speak, 
it concerns us to remember that God 
is a hearer, and to speak according- 
ly. 5 Henry. 

11. Then Jepthah went with the 
elders. Thus evincing a j generous 
forgetfulness of all their previous 
wrongs and indignities. No injuries 
should make us implacable ; we must 
forgive as we hope to be forgiven. 
^And Jepthah uttered all his words be- 
fore the Lord in Mizpeh. Or, Heb. 'for 
Jepthah uttered all his words, &c. T 
That is all the words pertaining to 
the solemn compact which had now 
been entered into. The words seem 
to be inserted to explain how it was 
that the people, as affirmed in the 
preceding clause, made him head 
and captain over them. The ar- 
rangement had first been concluded 
upon at Gilead between Jepthah and 
the elders. But this was not suffi- 



304 



JUDGES, 



[A. C. 1161. 



over them : and Jephthah utter. 
ed all his words k before the 
Lord in Mizpeh. 

12 IT And Jephthah sent mes- 
sengers unto the king of the 
children of Ammon, saying, 
What hast thou to do with me, 
that thou art come against me, to 
fight in my land ? 

13 And the king of the chil- 
dren of Ammon answered unto 

k ch. 10. 17. & 20. 1. 1 Sam 10. 17. & 11. 15. 



cient. He would have it solemnly re- 
peated and ratified, after entering the 
camp at Mizpeh, between k himself 
and the whole assembled congrega- 
tion. In order to give it the utmost 
validity and preclude all future mis- 
understanding, the people must con- 
firm the act by their own choice, 
and this is said to have been done 
' before the Lord,' to indicate the re- 
ligious and solemn manner in which 
the transaction was conducted, as if 
under his immediate inspection and 
sanction. See on Josh. 4. 13. 

12. Jepthah sent messengers, &c. 
A measure in the highest degree 
honorable to the equity, prudence, 
and piety of Jepthah, who herein 
conformed to the rule of conduct 
prescribed by Moses, Deut. 20. 10 — 
18, which was, not to make war with 
nations out of Canaan, till messen- 
gers had been sent with proposals of 
peace. Though a mighty man of va- 
lor, yet he delighted not in war for 
its own sake, and was desirous, if 
possible, to prevent the effusion of 
blood by a peaceable accomodation. 
How vastly different this from the 
spirit of most military chieftains ! 
They are glad to seize upon any, 
even the slighest pretexts for an ap- 
peal to arms. But here, though the 
newly elected captain of Israel 
might perhaps have been justified in 
repelling force by force without any 
preliminary negociations, yet if he 
can by showing them the injustice of 
their conduct persuade the invaders 
to retire, he will not compel them 



the messengers of Jephthah. 
iBecause Israel took away my 
land, when they came up out of 
Egypt, from Arnon even unto 
m Jabbok, and unto Jordan : now 
therefore restore those lands 
again peaceably. 

14 And Jephthah sent mes- 
sengers again unto the king of 
the children of Ammon : 

15 And said unto him, Thus 

1 Num. 21. 24, 25, 26. m Gen. 32. 22. 

by the sword. If the children of 
Ammon could convince him that Is- 
rael had done them wrong, he was 
ready to restore the rights of the Am- 
monites ; if not, it was plain by their 
invasion that they did Israel wrong, 
and he should by no means submit 
to it. This, though in an Israelite 7 
was acting under the influence of 
that religion which teaches us to fol- 
low peace with all men, and never 
to seek redress by forcible means 
till every fair proposal is rejected. 
IF What hast thou to do with me, thai 
thou comest against me, &c. Spoken 
thus in the first person, in the name 
both of God and of Israel. 

13. Because Israel took away, &c. 
One who seeks a pretext for a quar- 
rel will never be at a loss to find one ; 
yet it speaks much in favor of the 
general peaceableness and inoffen- 
siveness of Israel towards their 
neighbors, that their enemies, when 
intent upon hostilities against them, 
are obliged to look three hundred 
years back for a specious occasion. 
If the Ammonites had been con- 
scious of a valid claim, their demand 
should have been published before in- 
vading Israel. But we have no inti- 
mation of this, and the claim now pre- 
ferred was evidently trumped up to 
serve the present occasion, as afford- 
ing a colorable pretence of justice in 
the invasion ; showing that they who 
are destitute of conscience and hon- 
esty, are often very unwilling to ap- 
pear so. Jepthah, however, in what 
follows, stripped their conduct of its 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XI. 



305 



saith Jephthah, "Israel took not 
away the land of Moab, nor the 
land of the children of Ammon : 

16 But when Israel came up 
from Egypt, and ° walked 
through the wilderness unto the 
Red sea, and Pcame to Kadesh ; 

17 Then ^Israel sent messen- 
gers unto the king of Edom, say- 
ing, Let me, I pray thee, pass 
through thy land : r but the king 
of Edom would not hearken 
thereto. And in like manner 
they sent unto the king of Moab ; 
but he would not consent And 
Israel s abode in Kadesh. 

18 Then they went along 
through the wilderness, and 
^compassed the land of Edom 

n Dent. 2. 9, 19. o Num. 11. 25. Deut. 1.40. Josh* 
•*>. 6. p Num. 13. 26 4 20. 1. Deut 1.46. q Nam- 
20. 14. r Num. 20. 13, 21. s Num. 20. 1. t Num. 
21.4. Deut. 2. 1-3. 

specious disguise, and showed con- 
clusively how false and arrogant 
were their pretensions. ^My land. 
Speaking in the name both of the 
children of Ammon and Moab, over 
whom unitedly he seems, at this time, 
to have reigned as king. 

15. Israel took not away, &c. In 
order to evince beyond dispute, the 
falsehood and futility of the enemy's 
claims upon these lands, Jeptbah 
goes into recapitulation of the lead- 
ing circumstances of Israel's coming 
into possession of them. He admits 
that they had indeed taken the ter- 
ritories in question, but they took 
them, not from the Ammonites or 
Moabites,~whom they were expressly 
forbidden to molest on their march, 
but finding them in possession of 
Sihon, king of the Amorites, they 
took them from him in just and hon- 
orable warfare, in consequence of 
an unprovoked attack upon them. 
It might, indeed, be true that prior 
to Israel's arrival in the country, the 
Amorites had taken these lands from 
the Moabites or Ammonites, Num. 



and the land of Moab, and "came 
by the east side of the land of 
Moab, x and pitched on the other 
side of Arnon, but came not 
within the border of Moab : for 
Arnon was the border of Moab. 

19 And ^Israel sent messen- 
gers unto Sihon king of the 
Amorites, the king of Hesh- 
bon ; and Israel said unto him, 
z Let us pass, we pray thee, 
through thy land unto my place. 

2(f a But Sihon trusted not Is- 
rael to pass through his coast : 
but Sihon gathered all his peo- 
ple together, and pitched in Ja- 
haz, and fought against Israel. 

21 And the Lord God of Is- 
rael delivered Sihon and all 

u Num. 21. 11. x Num. 51. 13. & 22. 36. vNnm" 
21. 21. Deut. 2. 26. z Num. 21. 22 Deut. 2. 27 
a Num.21. 23. Deut. 2. 32. 



21. 26. Josh. 13. 25, but this was no 
concern of theirs, nor were they bound 
to recognise the previous title of any 
people whatever. This was his first 
plea in support of his claims, which 
extends to v. 22. 

17. Then Israel sent messengers, 
&c. So far were they from offering 
the least violence to the children of 
Esau or of Lot, that when refused a 
passage through their countries, 
though able, if they had chosen it, 
to have opened their way by force, 
they rather underwent the fatigue of 
a long march to compass their terri- 
tories, than to set a foot upon them, 
much less to seize them for their 
own use. IF In like manner they sent 
unto the king of Moab. Of this de- 
putation, however, the history no 
where else gives us any account. 

20. Trusted not Israel to pass 
through his coast. That is, through 
his dominions; as also, v. 22. The 
word signifies not only the borders 
of a country, but the territory includ- 
ed in them. Those who are them- 
selves conscious of a disposition 'a 



306 



JUDGES, 



[A, C. 1I6L 



his people into the hand oflsra- 
el, and they b smote them : so Is- 
rael possessed all the land of the 
Amorites, the inhabitants of that 
country. 

22 And they possessed c all 
the coasts of the Amorites, from 
Arnon even unto Jabbok, and 
from the wilderness even unto 
Jordan. 

23 So now the Lord God of 
Israel hath dispossessed the 
Amorites from before his people 

b Num. 21. 24 25. Deut. 2. 33, 34. c Deut. 2. 36. 



oppress fthe [weak and take undue 
advantages of the simple, will gen- 
erally give others credit for being 
actuated by the same spirit, and con- 
sequently withhold their confidence 
in circumstances where they are 
sensible they could not be confided 
in themselves. 

23. The Lord God of Israel hath 
dispossessed the Amorites. Another 
branch of Jepthah's argument in 
proof of Israel's right to the land. 
God gave them the country by giv- 
ing them the victory over him who 
possessed it. The great Proprietor 
of the earth, the King of nations, be- 
stowed it upoh them by an express 
and particular conveyance, such as 
vested in them a title that none could 
gainsay, Deut. 2. 24, ' I have given 
into thy hand Sihon and his land.' 
IT Shouldesl thou possess it ? Heb, 
* shouldest thou inherit him ;' i. e. the 
Amorite; the nation, according to 
Heb. idiom, being taken for the 
country which it occupied. He 
appeals to them whether they could 
suppose that God had given them the 
land in such an extraordinary man- 
ner, merely in order that they should 
restore it again to the Ammonites 
or Moabites. 

24. Wilt thou not possess that which 
Chemosh thy god giveth thee. With- 
out really attributing any divinity to 
the Ammonitish idol, Jepthah here 



Israel, and shouldest thou pos- 
sess it ? 

23 Wilt not thou possess that 
which d Chemosh thy god giv- 
eth thee to possess ? So whom- 
soever e the Lord our God shall 
drive out from before us, them 
will we possess. 

25 And now art thou any 
thing better than f Balak the son 
of Zippor king of Moab ? did he 
ever strive against Israel, or did 
he ever fight against them, 

d Num. 21. 29. 1 Kings 11. 7. Jer. 48. 7. e Dent. 
9. 4 ; 5. & 18. 12. Josh. 3. 10. f Num. 22. 2. See 
Josh. 21. 9. 

argues with them on their own ad- 
mitted principles. c It is a maxim 
with you, as among all nations, that 
the lands which they conceive to be 
given by their gods, they have an 
absolute right to, and should not re* 
linquish to any claimant whatever* 
You suppose that the land which 
you possess was given by your god 
Chemosh, and therefore you will not 
relinquish what you believe you 
hold by a divine right. In like 
manner we are fully assured that 
Jehovah our God, who is Lord of 
heaven and earth, has given the Is- 
raelites the land of the Amorites; 
and therefore we will not give it up/ 
The ground of Jepthah's remon- 
strance was evidently sound and im- 
pregnable. IT Them will we possess* 
Heb . ' him will we inherit :' i. e. his 
or their land ; as above, v. 23. 

25. Art thou any better than Ba- 
lak? That is, probably not moral- 
ly better, but hast thou any better 
title ? Yet Balak, who was then 
king of Moab, from whom the great- 
est part of these lands had been tak- 
en by the Amorites, who had most 
interest in the matter, and was best 
able to enforce his claim, if he had 
thought fit — Balak did not once ob- 
ject to our settlement then, nor offer 
to molest us in the enjoyment of our 
possessions. If he then acquiesced 
in this disposition of the lands, if the 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XL 



307 



26 While Israel dwelt in 
*Heshbon and her towns, and in 
b Aroer and her towns, and in 
all the cities that be along by 
the coasts of Arnon, three hun- 
dred years 1 why therefore did 
ye not recover tliem within that 
time ? 

27 Wherefore I have not 
sinned against thee, but thou 
doest me wrong to war against 
me : the Lord *the Judge k be 

g Num. 21. 25- h Deut. 2 36. i Gen. 18. 25. k Gen" 
16 5. & 31 o3. 1 Sam. 24. 12, 15. 



title of Israel had not been disputed 
upon their first entrance upon them, 
what grounds had the Ammonites to 
do it now 1 They had possesssd the 
country quietly for three hundred 
years, and even though their title 
had been less clear at first, yet see- 
ing no claim had been made during 
that long period of time, they had 
obtained a right by prescription, 
which the law of nations would 
clearly have acknowledged. A title 
so long unquestioned was to be pre- 
sumed to be unquestionable. The fol- 
lowing therefore is the sum of Jep- 
thah's argument, relative to the matter 
in dispute. (1.) The Ammonites had 
lost their lands in their contests with 
the Amorites. (2.) The Israelites 
conquered these lands from the 
Amorites, who had waged an un- 
principled war against them. (3.) 
God, the Maker, Proprietor and 
Disposer of heaven and earth, had 
given these lands by special grant to 
the Israelites. (4.) In consequence 
of this, they had had possession of 
them for upwards of three hundred 
years. (5.) These lands were never 
reclaimed by the Ammonites, though 
they had repeated opportunities to 
do it, whilst the Israelites dwelt in 
Heshbon, in Aroer, and the coasts 
of Arnon ; but they did not reclaim 
them, because they knew the Israel- 
ites held them legally. Consequent- 
ly every subsequent claim was effec- 



judge this day between the chil- 
dren of Israel and the children 
of Ammon. 

28 Howbeit, the king of the 
children of Ammon hearkened 
not unto the words of Jephthah 
which he sent him. 

29 IFThen ithe spirit of the 
Lord came upon Jephthah and he 
passed over Gilead and Manas- 
seh, and passed over Mizpeh of 
Gilead and from Mizpeh of Gilead 



tually barred, and the present pre- 
tensions of Ammon were unsupport- 
ed and unjustifiable. 

27. The Lord, the Judge, bejud^e 
this day. Not by pronouncing sen- 
tence verbally like human judges, 
but by awarding the victory to the 
side which he sees to be in the right. 
In this way he leaves the controver- 
sy to be decided. When we have 
justice and truth on our side, we may 
confidently appeal to the God of 
truth for a decision in our favor. 

29. The spirit of the Lord came 
upon him. Endowing him in an ex- 
traordinary manner for the work be- 
fore him, and thus giving him con- 
vincing testimony that his cause was 
good. ^Passed over Gilead, &c. 
Or, Heb. ' passed through ;' i. e. for 
the purpose of collecting recruits 
and increasing his forces to the ut- 
most. 

30. Jepthah vowed avow, &c. Vows 
were very common under the Mo- 
saic dispensation. They were even 
encouraged by God himself, in or- 
der that his people might have op- 
portunities of manifesting the love 
that was in their hearts, by offerings 
that were not enjoined, and services 
that were not commanded. In cases 
of difficulty or distress, where it ap- 
peared of more than ordinary im- 
portance to secure the divine favor 
and protection, the patriarchs of old 
had resorted to vows, and bound 



303 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 116L 



he passed over unto the children 
of Ammon. 

themselves, in case he should vouch- 
safe to them the desired blessing, to 
render unto him according to the 
benefits he should confer upon them. 
Thus Jacob, when he had just left 
his father and family in order to 
seek in a foreign land a refuge from 
his brother's vengeance, vowed, that 
if the Lord would be with him and 
restore him to his home in peace, he 
would take God entirely for his God, 
and devote to him a tenth of all that 
he should possess, Gen. 28. 20 — 22. 
In the time of Moses the whole peo- 
ple resorted to the same measure, in 
order to obtain success against the 
Canaanites, Num. 21. 2. This, it 
must be confessed, has a legal ap- 
pearance, and looks like offering to 
make a bargain with God ; but vows 
may certainly be made in perfect 
consistency with the liberal spirit of 
the ^Gospel ; for it is intimated that 
under the Gospel, yea even in the so 
termed millennial age, such a prac- 
tice should obtain, Is. 19. 21, and we 
know that Paul both made a vow 
himself, Acts 18. 18, and united with 
others in services to which, by a 
voluntary engagement, they had 
bound themselves. It is, however, 
to be remarked that a vow to be ac- 
ceptable to God, must have respect 
to things in themselves lawful. It 
cannot cancel a former obligation, 
or superinduce one that is repugnant 
to it. All our obligations to obedi- 
ence proceed from God. He has a 
supreme right to give laws to his 
creatures; but if men, by entering 
into vows, could free themselves 
from the obligation of his laws, they 
might then, whenever they pleased, 
by their own act defeat his authority. 
Whatever therefore is in itself for- 
bidden by God, and for that reason 
unlawful, cannot, by being made the 
matter of avow, become justifiable. 
So that he who has vowed to do 
what cannot be done without sin, is 
so far from being obliged to perform 
his vow, that he is, notwithstanding 



30 And Jephthah m vowed a 
vow unto the Lord, and said, If 

m;Gen. 28. 20. 1 Sam. 1. 11. 

his vow, obliged not to perform it J 
the original wrong of making such 
a vow being greatly aggravated by 
keeping it. Now in applying these 
remarks to the case of Jepthah, no- 
thing is clearer than that human 
sacrifices were ever an abomination 
to the Lord, and that he had again 
and again interdicted them, with the 
strongest expressions of abhorrence 
and reprobation. Deut. 12. 31. In- 
deed it was one of the grand reasons 
assigned for driving out the Canaan- 
ites, that they were in the habit of 
offering their sons and daughters to 
Moloch in the fire, i. e. of making 
burnt offerings of them, as is reason- 
ably to be inferred. It cannot be 
doubted, therefore, that if Jepthah 
really vowed such an offering to the 
Lord, it was utterly unlawful for 
him to perform it. His duty would 
have been to humble himself before 
God, and deeply repent of having 
entertained for a moment such a cri- 
minal purpose. But the intrinsic 
character, of such a vow, supposing 
Jepthah made it, is one thing, and 
its moral quality as issuing from a 
mind, in such a state as his then ivas, 
is another. The vow itself may have 
been unlawful, and yet in making 
it he may not have been aware of 
its real nature. Though his mo- 
tives may have been devout, and in 
a measure acceptable to heaven, yet 
he may have uttered it in great dark- 
ness and ignorance. Let the cir- 
cumstances of his case be consider- 
ed. Let it be borne in mind that he 
was born in a loose and degenerate 
period of the Israelitish nation, and 
that he was bred up beyond Jordan, 
far from the tabernacle, and in the 
near neighborhood of heathen tribes, 
with whose idolatrous practices he 
would naturally become familiar. 
Under these circumstances, in a 
foreign land, and associated with a 
band of outlaws and freebooters who 
lived by rapine and violence, is it to 
be wondered at, that he should, pre- 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XL 



309 



thou shalt without fail deliver 
the children of Ammon into my 
hands, 

vious to his appointment as leader of 
Israel, have sunk into a state of 
semi-paganism from which he had 
by no means recovered, even at the 
time of his signal victory over the 
Ammonites 1 And in this benight- 
ed state, is it not easily conceivable 
that he might have thought to pro- 
pitiate Jehovah by such a kind of 
offering as was sometimes presented 
by heathen worshippers, especially 
if we suppose he was further influ- 
enced by some confused recollections 
of Abraham's intended sacrifice of 
Isaac by divine command 1 Would 
it be unnatural for a man thus im- 
perfectly instructed, on the eve of 
an important battle, in an excited 
state of mind, and under the promp- 
tings of a blind zeal, to bind himself, 
on condition of his success, to evince 
his gratitude by what he conceived 
a heroical and almost superhuman 
act of devotion 1 To us there is no- 
thing violent or forced in the suppo- 
sition ; nothing inconsistent with the 
general tenor of the narrative ; and 
in forming a correct estimate of his 
conduct on the occcasion, it is ex- 
ceedingly important, if possible, to 
ascertain the real state of mind by 
which it was prompted ; for it is only 
in this, that we can find an adequate 
clew to the right interpretation of 
his vow. Before entering, however, 
upon the more particular explication 
of this, it may be well to advert for a 
moment to the different kinds of 
vows in use among the Jews, and 
determine, if possible, to what class 
of them this of Jepthah properly be- 
longed. Of these the most important 
was the cherem (Q-in)> which was 
accompanied by an execration, and 
answered to the anathema of the 
Septuagint and the Greek Testa- 
ment. The person or thing thus 
vowed unto the Lord, was said to be 
1 devoted' to him, and could not be 
redeemed, Lev. 27. 28. When it 
respected persons, or animals of any 
27 



31 Then it shall be, that 
whatsoever cometh forth of the 
doors of my house to meet me, 



kind, it implied that they were devo- 
ted to destruction ; but when it re- 
spected things, it implied that they 
were either to be utterly consumed by 
fire, or to be irrevocably dedicated to 
the Lord for religious purposes. In 
its application to persons it seems to 
have been restricted to heathens, 
aliens, and enemies of God, as the 
Amelekites, Canaanites, &c, Judg. 
1. 17. Num. 21. 1 — 3, nor do we any 
where read that a father or a master 
of a family was ever authorised thus 
to anathematize, execrate, and de- 
vote to destruction one of his own 
household. The utter destruction of 
Jericho with all that it contained, 
excepting Rahab, affords a striking 
example of the cherem. Its grand 
feature was, that in no case could its 
objects, whether persons or things, 
be properly redeemed from the use, 
condition, or destiny to which they 
had been devoted. In this respect 
it differed from a second and milder 
kind of vow, usually termed neder 
("YtOi D y which one engaged to per- 
form some particular act of piety, 
as for instance to bring an offering 
to God, or otherwise to dedicate any 
thing to him. The objects of this 
sort of vow were various, as clean 
or unclean beasts, lands, the tithes of 
lands, houses, and the person of the 
vower himself; of all which we have 
a detailed account, Lev. 27. These 
various objects, with the single ex- 
ception of clean beasts, might be re- 
deemed at the rate, and on the condi- 
tions specified in that chapter. Now 
it is supposed by many critics that 
the vow of Jepthah is to be classed 
under this head. The sacred writer 
in speaking of it says, *n} *n^ and 
he vowed a neder, not a cherem, and 
consequently, they say, it was such 
a vow as he might have redeemed 
by paying the prescribed ransom of 
thirty shekels, which was the fixed 
estimation for a female, Lev. 27. 4. 
But to this it is replied by Rosen- 



310 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1143. 



when I return in peace from the 
children of Amnion, n shall sure- 

n See Lev. 27. 2, 3, fcc. 1 Sam. 1. 11 , 2S. & 2. 18- 

muller, that the terms nadar, to vow, 
and neder, a vow, are generic, com- 
prehending both the redeemable and 
irredeemable class of vows. In 
proof of this he cites Num. 21. 2, 
where immediately after the words, 
' And Israel vowed a vow (tj3 *n*vi) 
unto the Lord,' &c, it is added, 
' these I will utterly destroy (v,?ainn) 
their cities,' from which it plainly 
appears that the cherem may be com- 
prised under the neder, though every 
neder was not a cherem,. As there- 
fore the words alone do not enable 
ns to determine satisfactorily the 
nature of the vow, it must be gather- 
ed from the circumstances. For our- 
selves, after an attentive considera- 
tion of all the incidents connected 
with the transaction, we are brought 
to the conclusion, that as far as Jep- 
thah in making the vow had any 
statute of the divine law in his mind, 
it was rather that of the cherem 
than of the simple neder ; that his 
predominant idea was that of the ir- 
revocable devotennent to death of the 
object contemplated in his vow. But 
after all it may well be doubted, 
whether Jepthah had his eye upon 
any particular precept or provision 
of the Mosaic code. For the reason 
before mentioned, we imagine his 
acquaintance with the law was ex- 
tremely limited ; that the distinction 
between the different classes of vows 
was a matter of which he had little 
or no conception ; and that he was 
prompted at the moment far more by 
a superstitious impulse, than by a 
zeal according to knowledge. He 
knew in the gross that vows were 
recognised in the religious institutes 
of his people ; that there was such 
a thing as a person's being devoted 
without redemption to God; and 
that such a vow, when taken, was 
sacredly binding ; and this we con- 
ceive was about the sum of his 
knowledge on the subject. Possess- 
ing then this very partial degree of 
light, and actuated by an intense 



ly be the Loru's, °and I will 
offer it up for a burnt-offering. 

n P« fifi 13 So. I.»v 07 1 I 19 



o Ps. 66. 13. 



See Lev. 27. 11,12. 



solicitude as to the result of the en- 
gagement, he seems to have rushed 
precipitately into the assumption of 
a vow, which proved a fearful snare 
to his soul. That he became, how- 
ever, subsequently more enlightened 
as to the import of the vow, and dis- 
covered a mode of dispensation from 
the literal execution of it, we shall 
endeavor to show in the sequel. 
But we are treating, at present, solely 
of his intention at the time, which, 
if we mistake not, was just that 
which the reader would naturally 
apprehend from the simple letter of 
the text. This we trust will be still 
more clearly illustrated in the notes 
that follow. 

31. Whatsoever cometh forth. Or, 
Heb. ■ whosoever cometh forth.' 
The rendering given to these words 
will no doubt be governed in great 
measure by the translator's views of 
the real nature of the vow uttered 
on this occasion; as whether it had 
reference primarily to a human being 
or a brute animal. To us the form- 
er appears decidedly the most prob- 
able. Admitting that the Heb. B2TPn 
which cometh forth may apply equal- 
ly to men or animals, yet the phrase 
' cometh forth to meet,' seems to im- 
ply an intelligent act, a coming forth 
with a design, which could scarcely 
be predicated of any but a human 
being. Moreover, how unlikely was 
it that any of the animals allowed 
for sacrifice should come forth from 
1 the doors of his house ;' to say no- 
thing of the probability that a dog or 
some unclean animal might meet 
him, which could neither lawfully 
be consecrated to the Lord, nor of- 
fered as a burnt sacrifice. H Shall 
surely be the Lord's, and I will offer 
it up for a burnt offering. As much 
depends, in forming a judgment of 
the real character of Jepthah's vow, 
upon the correct explication of the 
terms in which it was made, it will 
be proper here to advert to the lead- 
ing opinions of commentators on 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XL 



11 



this point. These may be ascertain- 
ed from the four following proposed 
modes of rendering, each of which 
has had its zealous advocates, whose 
collective treatises on the subject 
would amount to several volumes. 

(1.) The first is that given above ; 
1 Whosoever cometh out of the doors 
of my house to meet me, when I re- 
turn "from the children of Ammon, 
shall be the Lord's, and I will offer 
him up for a burnt offering.' 

(2.) The second is that adopted in 
the text of our common English Bi- 
bles; — ' Whatsoever cometh out of 
the doors of my house, &c, shall be 
the Lord's, and I will offer it up for 
a burnt offering.' 

(3.) The third is that given in the 
margin of the English Bible ; — 
1 Whatsoever cometh out of the doors 
of my house, &c, shall be the Lord's, 
or I will offer it up for a burnt offer- 
ing.' 

(4.) The fourth was proposed about 
sixty years since by Dr. Randolph, 
and is this ; — ' Whosoever cometh 
out of the doors of my house, &c, 
shall be the Lord's, and I will offer 
(to) Him (viz. the Lord) a burnt of- 
fering.' 

Of these, the first is that adopted 
by the Septuagint and Vulgate ver- 
sions, and is undoubtedly the sense 
which the words of the original, if 
viewed in themselves, apart from any 
moral considerations, do most natur- 
ally present. That this rendering 
supposes Jepthah to have had a hu- 
man sacrifice in his thoughts when 
he made the vow, is undeniably true, 
and without doing violence to the 
letter we know not how to avoid this 
conclusion. We are aware that it 
is objected to this, that Jepthah was 
at this time undoubtedly a pious 
man, for it is said in the immediate 
connection that he was under the 
influence of the Spirit of God, and it 
cannot be supposed that such a man, 
under such an influence, could deli- 
berately vow to God that he would 
commit murder — that he would vow 
to put to death the first person who 
should come forth to congratulate 
him, whether it might be man, wo- 



man, or child, yea even if it should 
be his own, his only, daughter. But 
to say nothing of the impropriety 
of applying the invidious term mur- 
der to Jepthah's intention, we do not 
think much stress can be laid upon 
the fact of his being said to be at this 
time under the influence of the Spi- 
rit of God, for it does not appear 
that this phrase, as used by the Old 
Testament writers, indicates by any 
means such a kind of influence as is 
intended in the New Testament by 
one's being led, prompted, governed 
by the Holy Spirit. In the latter 
case it denotes mainly a moral, spir- 
itual, sanctifying influence ; in the 
former, it simply implies the di- 
vine bestowment of remarkable gifts 
whether physical or intellectual, for 
the performance of a particular 
work, or the discharge of a particu- 
lar office. The endowments indica- 
ted by it were seated rather in the 
head and the body, than in the heart, 
so that taken by itself it affords us no 
clew to the moral character or actions 
of the subject of it. A similar train 
of remark is applicable also to an- 
other objection urged on the ground 
of Jepthah's being enrolled by Paul, 
in the eleventh of Hebrews, among 
the eminent men who had obtained 
a good report through faith. This 
is supposed to afford conclusive 
proof that he was a good man, and 
therefore that he could not have been 
guilty of a conduct so contrary to the 
divine law. But it is extremely 
doubtful whether the faith celebrat- 
ed in that chapter, was in every in- 
stance a justifying and saving faith, 
in relation to the individuals men- 
tioned. The apostles's object seems 
to be merely to illustrate the power of 
a firm belief in the divine testimony, 
which may doubtless exist separate 
from a renewed heart. We learn 
elsewhere, from the same authority, 
that a man might have the faith of 
miracles so as to remove mountain?, 
and yet not be a good man. We do 
not affirm that Jepthah was not a 
good man, yet we derive no abso- 
lute assurance from the simple fact 
I of his putting a strong faith in the 



312 



JUDGES. 



[A.C.I 143- 



divine promises, that he was an emi- 
nent saint, and incapable of making 
such a vow as we have supposed 
above. The objections, therefore, 
drawn from these sources against 
the interpretation now recited do 
not seem to carry with them any 
great weight. Jepthah may still 
have meant to vow that he would of- 
fer up a human sacrifice. But that 
such a sacrifice was actually made 
does not, we conceive, necessarily 
follow from this admission. Of 
this, however, more in the sequel. 

The second rendering, which is 
that of the translators of the English 
Bible, is liable perhaps to no serious 
grammatical objection, though, we 
think, less punctiliously faithful to 
the original than the former, for the 
reasons stated in the previous note. 
It is, however, the view given by 
Josephus, who makes Jepthah pro- 
mise to ' offer in sacrifice what liv- 
ing creature soever should first meet 
him,' and he affirms that the vow, in 
that sense, was executed by him ; ' he 
sacrificed his daughter as a burnt 
offering, offering such an oblation 
as was neither conformable to the 
law, nor acceptable to God.' The 
same sense is given by the Targum 
of Jonathan, and is perhaps the sense 
which has on its side the balance of 
authorities, both Jewish and Chris- 
tian. But the question, whether Jep- 
thah actually sacrificed his daughter, 
is still to be decided on grounds in- 
dependent of the balance of author- 
ity as to the literal purport of the 
vow. 

The celebrated Rabbi, David 
Kimchi, who flourished in the twelfth 
century, seems to have been the first 
who proposed the third translation, 
or that given in the margin of the 
English Bible. According to this 
interpretation, the Heb. copulative i 
and is to be translated or, and the 
sense of the vow will then be; 
1 Whatsoever cometh out of the doors 
of my house, I will, if it be a tHing 
fit for a burnt offering, make it one ; 
or, if not, will consecrate it to his 
service.' This would suppose him, 
in making the vow, to have had a 



mental reserve, which would allow 
him to act as the exigency of the case 
might require. It gives* him an al- 
ternative which by the other mode 
of rendering is effectually precluded. 
This construction, however, is cer- 
tainly liable to a very important 
grammatical objection. "Though it is 
unquestionable that the particle -\ is 
sometimes used as a disjunctive, and 
properly rendered ' or, 5 as Ex. 12. 5, 
'hand or foot;' 21. 15, 'father or 
mother;' 2 Sam. 2. 19, 'right hand 
or left,' yet it may be doubted wheth- 
er it is ever used to disjoin things 
so completely as this translation 
supposes. Gussetius (Comm. Ling. 
Ebr.) contends that to give i a dis- 
junctive force, it is essential that the 
terms between which it stands should 
not be related as genus and species, 
or the one member comprehending 
the other, as otherwise it would be 
as absurd as to say, ' Thou shalt not 
injure a man or his head,' the one 
term evidently including the other. 
So in the present instance, the clause 
' It shall be the Lord's, 5 is obviously, 
he affirms, the general, while ' It 
shall be offered up for a burnt offer- 
ing, 5 is merely the included particu- 
lar, indicating the special manner in 
which it shall be the Lord's. This 
we cannot but regard as the inter- 
pretation required on strict philolo- 
gical principles, and if the passage 
were rendered, ' It shall be the Lord's 
even I will offer it up for a burnt 
offering, 5 it would come, we believe, 
still nearer to the genuine force of 
the original. We assent, therefore, 
to the remark of Noble, (PJen. In- 
spir.) that ■ this rendering is ex- 
tremely forced and harsh, and one 
which critics have acquiesced in on- 
ly to get rid of what they esteemed a 
greater difficulty. It also makes 
the second clause of the vow entire- 
ly unnecessary; for if Jepthah 
meant to say, that whatsoever came 
out of his house should be consecrat- 
ed to the Lord, in such a manner as 
was suitable to its nature, this is 
fully conveyed in the first clause j 
and the addition of the second, se- 
parated by or, instead of helping to 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XT. 



313 



determine his meaning, is of no use 
but to perplex it.' For these reasons 
ve are compelled to reject the third 
hypothesis, as wholly unsustained 
by a just philological support. 

The fourth and last, is Dr. Ran- 
dolph's rendering, { Whosoever Com- 
eth out, &c, shall be the Lord's, and 
I will offer (to) Him a burnt offer- 
ing.' According to this translation, 
Jepthah's vow will consist of two 
parts. The first, that whatsoever 
person or object should come forth of 
his doors to meet him should surely be 
the Lord's ; i.e. should be dedicated, 
consecrated for ever to his service. 
The second, that he would, beside 
this, offer to Jehovah a burnt offer, 
ing. According to the rendering in 
in our common version, the very 
same object or person who should 
* surely be the Lord's,' was to be of- 
fered up for a burnt offering. Ac- 
cording to that now proposed, they 
were to be different objects. This 
explanation appeared to Bp. Lowth 
so signally happy and conclusive, 
that he speaks of it as having '* per- 
fectly cleared up a difficulty, which 
for two thousand years had puzzled 
all the translators and expositors, had 
given occasion to dissertations with- 
out number, and caused endless dis- 
putes among the learned.' Such a 
commendation, from such a source, 
undoubtedly entitles the proposed 
explanation to great respect, but it 
has still failed to satisfy the mass of 
commentators, and as we think for 
very good reasons. The sense 
hereby given to the original is not 
warranted by common usage. The 
Hebrew, it will be observed, is 
m*"> """T^bym where the prefixed 
pronoun yj * s joined to the verb to 
express the thing offered, and not 
another example can be found, in 
which verbs of offering or sacrificing 
are accompanied with a suffix pro- 
noun denoting the Being to it horn 
the offering is made. On the con- 
trary, instances of a precisely paral- 
lel usage to the present are of no un- 
common occurrence. Thus 1 Sam. 
7. 9, ' Then Samuel took a sucking 
lamb, and offered it {for) a burnt 
27* 



offering (nVl2 Ulb^'O wholly to the 
Lord.' See also 2 Kings 3. 27, 
where w T e meet with a case exceed- 
ingly similar to this of Jepthah. 
What Jepthah, according to the 
most direct import of his words, is 
supposed to have promised to do, the 
king of Moab, when sore pressed by 
the kings of Israel, Judah,andEdom, 
isaffirmedactually to have done ; and 
in precisely the same words, joined in 
the same construction ; ' Then took 
he his eldest son that should have 
reigned in his stead, and offered him 
(for) a burnt offering (ni" ""i^""") 
upon the wall.' These words differ 
from Jepthah's only in the mood, 
tense, and person of the verb, and in 
the common variety in spelling of 
the noun, the same suffix in and ap- 
parently in the same relation being 
used in each. 

On the w r hole we are constrained 
to dissent from this, as well as the 
preceding interpretation, and to ac- 
knowledge, that after all the labors 
of the learned, nothing satisfactory 
has yet been produced to fix a sense 
upon the passage, which should ex- 
clude the idea that a human sacri- 
fice was either intended by the vow, 
or might be its unintended result. It 
is still undeniable that the old com- 
mon translation, sanctioned by the 
venerable Sepuagint version, is that 
w r hich naturally flows from the 
w r ords, if taken in their legitimate 
construction. Certain too it is, that 
if Jepthah had spoken English, and 
had said, ' Whosoever cometh out of 
the doors of my house. &c, shall be 
the Lord's, and I will offer him up 
for a burnt offering;' and these 
words had been translated from 
English into Hebrew, they could not 
otherwise have been exactly render- 
ed than by the very words which 
now stand in the Hebrew Bible. At 
the same time, as we shall presently 
endeavor to show, though we do net 
doubt that this language expresses 
fairly what was in Jepthah's mind 
at the time of making the vow, yet 
whether he actually executed the vow 
in this sense of it, admits of very seri- 
ous question. See farther on v. 39. 



314 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1143. 



32 % So Jephthah passed 
over unto the children of Am- 
nion to fight against them : and 
the Lord delivered them into his 
hands. 

33 And he smote them from 
Aroer even till thou come to 
pMinnith, even twenty cities, and 

p Ezek. 27. 17. 



32. Jepthah passed over unto. That 
iSj passed through or over the inter- 
mediate regions lying between him 
and the enemy. 

33. Thus the children of Amnion 
were subdued, &c. Heb. i^J&i were 
greatly humbled, or, if we may be al- 
lowed to fabricate a term for the pur- 
pose, l were CanaanizedJ i. e. made 
to share the fate of the Canaanites ; 
which to a Hebrew ear would be 
precisely the import of the original. 
How far his success on this occasion 
is to be construed as an answer to 
his prayers, and a token of the di- 
vine acceptance of his vow, it is not 
possible to determine. By some it is 
considered a strong argument in fa- 
vor of the milder view which is tak- 
ken of the vow. ' Would God,' it is 
asked, ' have sanctioned in this man- 
ner a gross act of deliberate murder % 
Would not this have been the very 
w T ay to deceive his people, and to 
make them think he was pleased 
with such offerings as the heathen 
presented unto Moloch 1 And when 
in future ages, he punished his peo- 
ple for offering human sacrifices, 
might they not justly have pleaded, 
that he in ihis instance, had both ap- 
proved and rewarded them'?' To 
this we answer, that the public in- 
terest of the whole Jewish people 
-was more regarded in the bestow- 
ment of the victory, than the private 
hopes or wishes "of Jepthah. Un- 
worthv or faulty instruments were of- 
ten employed by the Most High in 
effecting his kind purposes for Is- 
rael, and we see no reason to doubt 
that the result would have been the 
same with the same means, even had 



unto the plain of the vineyards, 
with a very 
Thus the ch 
were subdued 
of Israel. 

34 IF And 
^Mizpeh unto 
hold, r his dan 



slaughter, 
ildren of Amnion 
before the children 



q ch. 10. 17. & ver. 1 
Ps. 68. 25. Jer. 31 4- 



Jephthah came to 
his house, and be- 
ghter came out to 

r Ex. 15. 20. 1 Sam. 18. 6' 



no vow whatever been uttered. 
Moreover, it is a high presumption 
in weak mortals to read in the events 
of providence a proof, that God 
makes himself a party to compacts 
of their own voluntas proposing, 
let them be ever so well intended. 
His counsels are a great deep, and 
it is at our peril that we put such 
unauthorised constructions upon his 
dispensations. ' No man knoweth 
either love or hatred by all that is 
before them.' 

34. With timbrels and with dances. 
From this, and from 1 Sam. 18. 6, 
where David's triumphal return from 
the defeat of Goliath and the Philis- 
tines is mentioned, it appears to have 
been an ancient custom for women 
to go forth to meet returning con- 
querors with musical instruments, 
songs, and dances. Jepthah's daugh- 
ter, on this occasion, undoubtedly 
came forth, not alone, but at the head 
of a band or choir of maidens, who 
joined with her in these joyful con- 
gratulations. ^ She teas his only 
child. This circumstance is men- 
tioned to point out an additional 
cause of the poignancy of his dis- 
tress. It is well known how intense- 
ly anxious the Hebrews were for 
posterity, and as Jepthah could only 
hope for descendants through his 
daughter, the sorrow he expressed 
is quite natural, even under the 
milder interpretation of his vow. ff 
Besides her he had neither son nor 
daughter. Or, Heb. ■ there was not 
to himself either son or daughter;' 
implying, as some of the Jewish 
commentators think, that though he 
had no other children of his own, 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XL 



315 



meet him with timbrels and with 
dances : and she icas his only 
child ; besides her he had nei- 
ther son nor daughter. 

35 And it came to pass, when 
lie saw her, that he s rent his 
clothes, and said, Alas, my 

s Gen. 37. 29, 34. 

yet his wife, the widow of a former 
husband, had. Others take the orig- 
inal ^"72?3 with our translators as 
used for nSfcE besides her, a view of 
the phrase which R,osenmuller seems 
to approv r e. 

35. Alas, my daughter, thou hast 
brought me very low. Heb. ' bowing 
thou hast made me to bow ;' gener- 
ally spoken of bowing down upon 
the knees for purposes of religious 
reverence, or from feebleness and 
exhaustion, especially when over- 
come in battle. Here the idea seems 
to be, that from being highly elated 
by the recent victory, he had now, 
in meeting his daughter under the 
present circumstances, been sudden- 
ly and wofully depressed and struck 
down, as it were, to the earth. His 
cxultatio7i\\'a.sc\\2Lngedto humiliation 
and grief. His daughter had done 
to him what the Ammonites could 
not. The evident bitterness of emo- 
tion which he betrayed, on meeting 
his daughter, clearly shows that he 
then looked upon himself as bound 
bv the tenor of his vow so make her 
life a sacrifice. Although the idea 
of consigning her to a state of per- 
petual celibacy and seclusion, of be- 
ing bereft of her society, and seeing 
the extinction of his name in Israel 
certain, could not but greatly affect 
the heart of a father, yet the anguish 
which he now expressed appears too 
intense and excruciating to be caus- 
ed by any thing but the conviction 
that she "inust die — die a martyred 
victim to his precipitate vow. 1T 
Thou art one of them that trouble me. 
Heb. ' thou hast become among my 
troublers.' This language might, 
in reality, have been more properly 
addressed by the daughter to her fa- 



daughter 1 thou hast brought me 
very low, and thou art one of 
them that trouble me : for I 
Uiave opened my mouth unto the 
Lord, and U I cannot go back. 

36 And she said unto him, 
My father, if thou hast opened 



Eccles. 5. 2. 
5. 4, 5. 



a Num. 30. 2. Vs. 15. 4. Ecclea* 



ther, but his meaning obviously is, 
that she had innocently and involun- 
tarily become a source of unspeak- 
able distress to him. ' He answers 
the measures of her feet with the 
knockings of his breast. Her joy 
alone hath changed the day, and lost 
the comfort of that victory which she 
enjoyed to see won. It falls out of- 
ten, that those times and occasions 
which promise most contentment, 
prove most doleful in the issue ; the 
heart of this virgin was never lifted 
up so high as now, neither did any 
day of her life seem happy but this ; 
and this only proves the day of her 
solemn and perpetual mourning. It 
is good, in a fair morning, to think 
of the storm that may arise ere 
night, and to enjoy both good and 
evil fearfully.' Bp. Hall. IT Ihave 
opened my mouth unto ike Lord. 1 
have solemnly vowed to him ; im- 
plying that the vow was not only 
conceived in the mind, but uttereS 
with the lips. Vows, unless they 
were verbally enounced seem not to 
have been "regarded as binding, 
Num. 30. 3, 7,9, 13. Deut. 23. 23, 24. 
Although the narrative does not re- 
present him as informing her speci- 
fically of the burden of the vow, yet 
from what follows it is plain that she 
soon became aware of it, either from 
the extreme distress which he now 
manifested, or from his subsequent 
explicit disclosures. The sacred wri- 
ters frequently omit the mention of 
minor circumstances, contenting 
themselves w r ith the statement of 
leading facts, and leaving it to the 
judgment of the reader to supply the 
omitted links of the chain. HI can* 
not go back. I cannot recall the vow 
myself,[now that it is solemnly utter- 



316 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1143. 



thy mouth unto the Lord, x do to 
me according to that which hath 
proceeded out of thy mouth ; 
forasmuch as ytfie Lord hath 

x Num. 30. 2. y 2 Sam. 18. 19, 31. 

edj nor can any power on earth re- 
lease me from its obligation. 

36. My father, if thou hast opened 
thy mouth, &c. A striking pattern 
of filial piety and obedience, and of 
heroic zeal for what she conceived 
the honor of God and of Israel. So 
rejoiced was she at the victory, as 
redounding to the good of her coun- 
try, that she is willing to be herself 
offered up as a thank-offering for it, 
and thinks her life well bestowed 
when laid down for such a purpose. 
True indeed it is, that if her father's 
conduct was wrong in making the 
vow, hers, when viewed intrinsical- 
ly in itself, could not be right in 
concurring in it ; the same moral 
character would attach to both j but 
it were vain to expect that her 
knowledge in such a matter would 
go beyond that of her father. How 
can it be supposed that a youthful 
maiden should have had clear views 
of the import of the divine law on 
such a subject, when her father's 
mind was enveloped in darkness 1 
Her generous self-devotion therefore 
is still entitled to our highest com- 
mendation. Her involuntary igno- 
rance excuses her infirmity, and if 
she believed when she uttered these 
words, that she was to be put to 
death, neither Greece nor Rome, 
with all their heroes and heroines, 
can furnish an instance of sublimer 
self-sacrifice than this of the humble 
maid of Israel. Had it occurred 
among these boasting people, instead 
of the plain unvarnished tale of the 
sacred historian, we should have 
had it pressed on our admiration 
with all the pomp of eloquence. In- 
deed it cannot be doubted, had but 
Jepthah and his daughter been hea- 
thens, that the very persons, who 
now find in the transaction nothing 
but a pretence for vilifying the Scrip- 
tures, would then have extolled the 



taken vengeance for thee of 
thine enemies, even of the child- 
ren of Ammon. 

37 And she said unto her fa- 



whole as exhibiting the finest ex- 
ample of the most noble constancy, 
the most disinterested virtue. 

37. Let me alone for two months. 
The word in the original is that us- 
ed for slacking, relaxing, loosening 
one's hold upon any thing ; see note 
on Josh. 1. 5. The whole narrative 
affords nothing more obscure and 
remarkable than this request. On 
what custom was it founded'? Is 
there an intimation of any thing 
similar in any other part of the 
Scriptures, or in any thing relative 
to oriental manners and usages ? 
We know of nothing, and must sit 
down resigned in our ignorance. 
Yet we think the inference fair, that 
children, both sons and daughteis, 
were occasionally dedicated by Jew- 
ish parents to the perpetual service 
of God at the tabernacle or temple, 
as we know was the case with Sam- 
uel, though he, in after life, seems 
to have obtained a dispensation from 
the vow of his mother. Where this 
was the case with youthful females, 
it is probable the custom obtained of 
their retiring for a season in group* 
from domestic scenes to sequestered 
places, in token of regret at being 
thereby excluded the privilege of a 
place among the ancestors of the fu- 
ture generations of Israel, and per- 
haps of the Messiah. Not that we 
can suppose that companies of un- 
protected maidens would forsake for 
days and weeks the habitations of 
men, and spend their time in roving 
about over hill and dale in the open 
air, for they would surely stand in 
need of food and shelter, and how 
on this supposition were they to pro- 
cure them'? but they probably with- 
drew to some retired places of abode, 
remote* from populous villages, 
where under the care of pious mat- 
rons, they passed the allotted time in 
the observance of suck rites and 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XL 



317 



ther, Let this thing be done for 
me : Let me alone two months, 
that I may go up and down upon 
the mountains, and bewail my 
virginity, I and my fellows. 
38 And he said, Go. And 

ceremonies, as were appointed for 
the purpose ; occasionally perhaps 
walking abroad in solemn and 
mournful processions. It is at least 
difficult to conceive, in a civilized 
and religious state of society, and 
especially in Eastern countries, of 
any other mode, in whick a com- 
pany of youthful damsels could, 
without a very ill appearance, spend 
a season of retirement from their 
usual place of residence. Let the 
question be put to any reflecting 
mind, in what other light can a 
transaction of this nature be viewed. 
Did the Jewish maidens under these 
circumstances, sojourn unattended 
for weeks and months wandering 
up and down on the mountains'? 
Is it conceivable that they should 
have adopted a measure so utterly 
abhorrent to female decorum and so 
completely at war with the very first 
rudiments of oriental prejudice ? 
If then, upon abandoning their own 
homes, they must have resorted to 
some kind of habitations, what were 
they 1 what, but a species of abode 
designed for the purpose ? For our- 
selves, the narrated facts of the 
Scripture allow us to come to no 
other conclusion. If then such a 
custom existed at the time to which 
our narrative refers, it is very sup- 
posable, that Jepthah's daughter on 
an occasion like the present, with 
her impending fate full before her, 
should have been desirous to avail 
herself of a usage, originally indeed 
designed for another purpose, but 
not inappropriate to this, and so 
have requested a respite of a few 
weeks from the doom that awaited 
her. What more fitting employ- 
ment during that dread interval, 
than to mingle her regrets with those 
whose lot her own in one respect so 



he sent her away for two 
months : and she went with her 
companions, and bewailed her 
virginity upon the mountains. 

39 And it came to pass at the 
end of two months that she re- 



much resembled, though they were 
exempted from the destiny to which 
she had meekly submitted 1 

39. Did with her according to his 
vow. Heb. ' did to her his vow.' 
The original, if we mistake not, af- 
fords some more latitude of con- 
struction, in respect to the mode of 
executing the vow, than is allowed 
by our present rendering. Accord- 
ing to the latter, we are required to 
believe that he adhered to the very 
letter of the vow, and actually offered 
her as a burnt offering, which we 
have endeavored to show is the un- 
forced legitimate sense of the vow 
itself. According to the former, 
which is more general and inde- 
finite, we are not, we conceive, ab- 
solutely shut up to the adoption of 
this sense. The phrase, ' he did to 
her his vow,' strikes us as not speci- 
fying the precise manner in which 
the vow was performed, but as leav- 
ing us at liberty, provided the exi- 
gency of the case requires it, to un- 
derstand the writer as saying, that 
he did to her what was equivalent 
to his original vow, what was ac- 
cepted in lieu of it, instead the 
identical thing which the vow con- 
templated. The verisimilitude of 
this rendering will be just in propor- 
tion to the probability, derived from 
other sources, that he did not actual- 
ly put his daughter to death ; that in 
the interval of the two month's re- 
spite which she besought, he had 
come to a different view of the de- 
mands of duty in the case, the amount 
of which was, a clear conviction that 
the literal fulfillment of the vow was 
not obligatory upon him. In sup- 
port of this hypothesis, which we 
think to be the true one, we offer the 
following considerations. 

(1.) It is not expressly stated that 



313 



JUDGES. 



turned unto her father, who 2 did I knew no man. 



with her according to his vow 
which he had vowed : and she 

z ver. 31. 1 Sam. 1. 22, 24. & 2. IS. 

she was offered up for a burnt offer- 
ing. Instead of saying, as would 
naturally, on that supposition, have 
been expected in a transaction of 
such moment, ' He did with her ac- 
cording to his vow, and offered her 
up for a burnt offering to the Lord,' 
the writer simply affirms, ' He did 
to her his vow, and she knew no 
man;' as if this were intended to be 
explanatory of the manner in which 
the doing of the vow was accom- 
plished, viz. by devoting her to a 
life of celibacy. Why else is this 
latter circumstance mentioned, but 
to show wherein the accomplish- 
ment of the vow consisted'? If she 
were really put to death, is it not 
strange that the fact of her death is 
not once spoken of] But if she were 
only doomed to a state of perpetual 
virginity, the reason of the expres- 
sion is at once obvious. It may indeed 
be objected that no other instance of 
devoting a person to virginity occurs, 
nor have we evidence that parents 
possessed any such right. This we 
admit ; but neither, on the other 
hand, does the Scripture afford evi- 
dence, that parents possessed the 
right of devoting their children to 
death, nor exhibit, among the chos- 
en people, an example of the fact of 
such a devotement. The intrinsic 
probability, therefore, is as strong on 
the one side as the other. Nor is 
the objection more valid, that sup- 
posing her only devoted to God, 
there was no reason why she should 
remain unmarried ; since Samson 
and Samuel, both of whom were de- 
voted to God from the womb, were 
both married. But the case is ex- 
tremely different between a man and 
a woman. The former was at liberty 
to serve God, in any way that he 
judged agreeable to his will ; but the 
latter, if she had married, would 
have been under the control of her 
husband, who might in a variety of 



[A. C. 1143. 

And it was a 



custom in Israel. 



ways have interfered with the dis- 
charge of the duties which the vow 
implied. It was therefore necessary 
that she should remain unmarried,, 
and that she should also be secluded 
in great measure from society itself; 
that being the way in which the ob- 
ject of entire consecration could be 
most effectually attained. Moreover,, 
such a sentence would come the 
nearest of any other to the letter of his 
vow. She would henceforth become 
dead to the world, and in her perpe- 
tual celibacy the line of his posterity 
become extinct for ever. It would 
therefore almost amount to a positive 
immolation of her. 

(2.) It does not appear by whose 
hands such a sacrifice could have 
been offered. Not by the high priest, 
or any regular member of the priest- 
hood, for with all the deplorable lax- 
ness, ignorance, and degeneracy 
that prevailed, it is incredible that 
any officiating priest should have 
tolerated for a moment, in the face 
of such explicit prohibitions as Mo- 
ses had given, the oblation of a hu- 
man sacrifice. And not by Jepthab 
himself, for this would have been a 
transgression of the Levitical law,, 
which enjoined that every offering* 
should be made by the hand of the 
priest, and at the place where the 
tabernacle and altar stood. This is 
rendered still more certain by an 
important circumstance mentioned 
in the beginning of the next chapter. 
It will be remembered that the tab- 
ernacle was at this time at Shiloh, 
in the tribe of Ephraim. Now im- 
mediately after the conclusion of 
the war with the Ammonites, we 
find Jepthah engaged in a bitter war 
with the Ephraimites. This makes 
it in the highest degree improbable 
that he should, in the very heat of 
the quarrel, have gone into the heart 
of that tribe to offer such a sacrifice, 
even had it been lawful. If then 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XL 



319 



there is the utmost reason to believe 
that such an offering was not made 
by the high priest or any inferior 
priest — that it was not made by Jep- 
thah himself— and that it was not 
made at Shiloh, the appointed place 
of sacrifice, what reason is there to 
suppose it was made at all 1 

(3.) From all the circumstances, 
the probability, we think, is very 
strong that Jepthah availed himself 
of the provisions of the law, in re- 
spect to devoted persons and things ; 
in other words, that during the two 
month's interval, he had become 
better instructed in regard to the 
subject of vows in general under the 
Mosaic statutes, and ascertained that 
a dispensation, in his case, was 
practicable. We have already re- 
marked that vows were encouraged 
under the law, and that besides the 
ckerem or anathema, persons or 
things might be devoted to God. 
But where this was the case, the law 
permitted that a valuation should be 
made of the devoted person or thing, 
and that the money should be re- 
garded as a ransom for it, or an of- 
fering be presented in its stead. If 
a human being were devoted, the 
estimation was to vary according to 
the sex or age of the person, Lev. 
27. 2 -13, but for an adult female, it 
was thirty shekels of silver. Now 
supposing that Jepthah, at the time 
of making the vow, had no distinct 
recollection or knowledge of this 
law ; supposing even that the vow, 
as it emanated from his lips, partook 
more of the character of the cherem 
than the neder ; yet is it conceivable 
that when the execution of it was 
postponed for two months, and the 
affair had become notorious through- 
out the nation, and was the subject 
of general discussion and great lam- 
entation, that there was no person in 
all Israel who once thought of this 
law 1 Would not the agonized fa- 
ther, besides devoting to it his own 
intensest study, consult the priests 
on the subject 7 And would not the 
priests acquaint him with the pro- 
visions of the law in reference to a 
case of casuistry like the present! 



And what would naturally be the 
result 1 Could he fail to come to the 
conclusion, that such a sacrifice as 
he first intended was not only unlaw- 
ful, but in the face of the numerous 
pointed prohibitions against it would 
amount to nothing short of down- 
right murder 1 Would he not learn, 
that as an offering (n*2"l2, the term he 
had employed in his vow) was in its 
own nature incompatible with a 
cherem (Qin)> and that the law had 
made no provision for the latter 
being substituted for the former, he 
was even, according to the very terms 
of his vow, rightly understood, not 
only released, but prohibited from 
performing if? Under these cir- 
cumstances, would he, could he per- 
severe in his original intention ? Is 
it not more probable, that after deep 
deliberation in concert with the 
authorised expounders of the law, 
he yielded to the conviction, that 
although his solemn pledge did not 
originally contemplate any such al- 
ternative, yet it might be embraced 
in the provisions now alluded to — 
that it might come under the class 
of redeemable vows 1 He would be 
more encouraged to avail himself of 
this dispensation, on the ground of 
the darkness of his mind at the time 
of coming under the engagement. 
It was not an act of wilful disregard 
of the divine statutes relative to this 
point, but one rather of misapprehen- 
sion and infirmity, though from its 
rash and reckless character by no 
means innocent. He was still, we 
may suppose, ready to humble him- 
self before God in view of his pre- 
cipitancy, and while he paid the 
ransom price that delivered his 
daughter from death, piously resolv- 
ed by way of punishing himself for 
his rashness, to fulfil his vow in her 
civil excision from among the living. 
He accordingly, we conceive, con- 
signed her henceforth to a state of 
perpetual seclusion and celibacy — of 
living consecration to God — and in 
this manner 'did unto her his vow,' 
though in a mode of execution, 
which did not, in the first instance, 
enter into his thoughts. — Thus, on 



320 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1143. 



40 Thai the daughters of Is- 
rael went yearly to lament the 

the whole, after weighing all the 
circumstances and all the arguments 
bearing upon the case, we are led to 
decide upon the much disputed point, 
whether Jepthah really sacrificed 
his daughter. To our mind the evi- 
dence for the negative clearly pre- 
ponderates. At the same time, we 
do not. as will be seen, deduce it 
from the terms of the vow, or any 
fancied contingency of purpose in 
Jepthah's mind at the time of mak- 
ing it. We believe that it was made 
under the prevailing impression that 
a human sacrifice would be the re- 
sult ; but that, although his conduct 
was contrary to the Scriptural pre- 
cept forbidding men ' after vows to 
make inquiry, 7 he became subse- 
quently more enlightened, and by a 
careful study of the law, aided by 
its proper ministers, he ascertained 
the possibility of being released from 
the dilemma, in which he had so 
thoughtlessly ensnared himself. Pe r - 
haps the most valid objection to the 
view given above, is that which 
would assume the form of the ques- 
tion, Why, if such were the fact, is 
the narrative so constructed as to 
give rise almost inevitably to the 
impression, that the literal immola- 
tion of Jepthah's daughter actually 
took place 1 Without allowing that 
an inability to answer this question 
satisfactorily ought to be considered 
as essentially weakening the force 
of the arguments adduced above, 
we may suggest in reply, that the 
Spirit of inspiration may have fram- 
ed the record as it now stands, mark- 
ed by a somewhat ambiguous as- 
pect, in order to guard against a 
light estimate of the obligation of 
voivs. We do not affirm this to have 
been the design, but it is certainly 
conceivable that if it had been ex- 
pressly stated that the vow in its li- 
teral sense had not been performed, 
it might have gone to relax some- 
what of the apprehended sacredness 
of all such votive engagements, and 
led men to think that God himself 



daugter of Jephthah the Gilead- 
ite four days in a year. 

might easily dispense with them. 
Whereas, as it is now worded, and 
would be perhaps most naturally 
understood, it would inspire far 
other sentiments, and lead men at 
once to be very cautious in making, 
and very punctilious in performing 
their vows. 

39, 40. And it was a custom in Is- 
rael. Heb. imtZ^ pn "Wl- The 
phraseology of the original is pecu- 
liar, the verb being of the fern., the 
noun of the masc. gender. The liter- 
al rendering we take to be, ' and she 
became an ordinance in Israel;' i. e. 
her case became a precedent; it 
gave rise to an established custom in 
Israel. But what particular custom 
is alluded to, whether that of dedi- 
cating maidens to God, as Gusset 
supposes, or that of going at stated 
times to commemorate the fate of 
Jepthah's daughter, as others contend, 
is not clear. The latter appears on the 
whole most probable. H Went year- 
ly to lament the daughter of Jepthah. 
Heb. ' from days to days ;' but a day 
in Scriptural idiom is often used for 
a year ; for which reason the mar- 
ginal reading is properly ' from year 
to year.' The original for 'to la- 
ment,' (niDnb) is a term of very 
questionable import. It is rendered 
differently according to the different 
opinions of expositors, as to the na- 
ture of the vow, and the mode of its 
fulfilment.^ Those who think that 
she was sacrificed, are satisfied with 
the present version ; those who dis- 
sent from this, contend earnestly for 
the marginal rendering, 'to talk 
with,' — meaning that the daughters 
of Israel went yearly to condole 
with and to comfort her. It must be 
admitted, that the evidence for this 
latter sense of the word is by no 
means slight, if we refer to the only 
other instance in which it occurs, 
Judg. 5. 11, where though trans- 
lated ' to rehearse' — ' there shall they 
rehearse the righteous acts of the 
Lord' — yet the idea of colloquy, of 
mutual address^ is clearly involved. 



A. C. 1143.] 



CHAPTER XL 



321 



This is confirmed by Kimchi, the 
Jewish commentator, who thus para- 
phrases the words before us, ' That 
indeed, with their friendly discourse 
they might comfort her concerning 
her virginity and her solitary state 
of life.' The ancient versions, how- 
ever, with one accord, give the 
sense of lamenting, bewailing, a cir- 
cumstance undoubtedly to us of no 
small weight, though not absolutely 
decisive in estimating the true im- 
port of the term. The probability is / 
that the word means in its most gen- 
eral sense, ' to praise, to celebrate, 
to commemorate,' and would there- 
fore denote that the daughters of Is- 
rael kept a few days' anniversary to 
commemorate this transaction, what- 
ever were its result. For aught that 
appears from the language itself, 
she might have been living at the 
time. Indeed take the passage as it 
reads; ' The daughters of Israel 
went to lament the daughter of Jep- 
thah;' and the question is, what in 
her, or respecting her, did they la- 
ment 1 It is not said they lamented 
her death, ; and to affirm that they 
did, is to beg the question. They 
might have lamented only what they 
and Jepthah's daughter had lament- 
ed before, viz. her virginity. On 
the whole, though some difficulties 
attend every interpretation hitherto 
advanced of Jepthah's vow and its 
consequences, yet the foregoing has 
perhaps the fewest and the least, and 
receives most countenance bo h from 
philological and moral considera- 
tions. 

We may close our observations 
on this remarkable portion of holy 
writ by suggesting, (1.) That we be 
cautions in making vows. ' Be not 
rash with thy mouth, and let not 
thine heart be hasty to utter any 
thing before God ; for God is in heav- 
en, and thou upon earth ; therefore 
let thy words be few.' It may some- 
times be useful to bind ourselves 
by solemn vows, to evince our gra- 
titude aad confirm our regard for 
the divine glory. But such vews 
should be deliberately and discreetly 
uade, an should extend to those 
28 



things only that are clearly lawful in 
themselves, and serviceable to the 
interests of religion. Strict inquiry 
should be made into the nature and 
extent of the proposed engagements, 
before we enter into them. Thus 
Solomon declares, ' It is a snare to a 
man to devour that which is holy, 
and after vows to make inquiry.' If 
we have rashly pledged ourselves to 
do what the law of God prohibits, 
we must recede from our vow, and 
humble ourselves before our Maker 
for our precipitance. The forty con- 
spirators, who swore that they would 
neither eat nor drink till they had 
killed Paul, and Herod, who swore 
that he would give his daughter 
whatsoever she should ask of him, 
had no right to bind themselves to 
such an extent, and would have sin- 
ned less in violating than in keeping 
their engagements. Let their case 
be a warning to us. (*2.) That ice be 
conscientious in performing them. 
Where our vows are lawful and 
practicable they should be religious- 
ly kept. Better is it not to vow, than 
to vow and not perform. So Solo- 
mon exhorts; 'When thou vowest 
a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, 
for he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay 
that which thou hast vowed. 5 Even 
though the rigid observance of our 
vows should subject us to great sacri- 
fices, expence, and trouble, yet the ob- 
ligation should be considered sacred, 
and the attempt to set them aside by 
the plea of inadvertence or of diffi- 
culty in the performance will only 
serve to bring upon us the heavy 
displeasure of God. If Jepthah, af- 
ter having precipitately bound him- 
self by a solemn engagement, felt 
constrained to adhere to its spirit, 
though released from the letter, and 
would not go back, notwithstanding 
the sacrifice was so great, so neither 
should we decline the performance 
of the most difficult of our vows. 
Let us remind ourselves of the sac- 
redness uniformly attached in the 
Scriptures to obligations of this sort, 
and say with David, ' I will go into 
thy house with burnt offerings; I 
will pay thee my vows which my 



322 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1143. 



CHAPTER XIT. 
A ND a the men of Ephraim ga- 
thered themselves together, 
and went northward, and said 
unto Jephthah, Wherefore pass- 

a See ch. 8. 1. 

lips have uttered, and my mouth hath 
spoken, when I was in trouble.' 
And who is there that has not the 
responsibility of vows of some kind 
resting upon him 1 Who has not in 
a time of sickness, or danger, or 
trouble, or alarm, determined with 
himself, that if he should be deliver- 
ed, he would devote himself to the 
Lord and to the pursuit of heavenly 
things ? Let all such look back and 
call to mind the vows that are upon 
them, and be admonished that Jep- 
thah will rise up in judgment against 
the violation of them. Especially 
let us remember that in making a 
profession of religion, we have vow- 
ed to be the Lord's in a perpetual 
covenant of love, trust, and obedi- 
ence. We have opened our mouths 
to him, and now we cannot go back 
without the shipwreck of truth, hon- 
or, conscience, and probably of sal- 
vation. Again therefore we say, 
let us be faithful to covenant engage- 
ments. (3.) Others' sorroiv should be 
our own, and by partaking toe should 
seek to alleviate them. So was it with 
the companions of Jepthah's daugh- 
ter, and so should it be with the sons 
and daughters of the true Israel in 
all ages and climes. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1. The men of Ephraim gathered 
themselves together. Heb. ' were cri- 
ed together ;' i. e. summoned together 
by the voice of heralds passing to 
and fro through the tribe. The pas- 
sive voice in Heb. often has a recip- 
rocal import, and here probably is 
intended to convey the idea of a mu- 
tual stirring each other up, indepen- 
dent of the will of a superior, and 
a consequent flocking together in 
somewhat of a loose and tumultuary 
manner. With this as the leading 
idea of the passage before his mind, 



edst thou over to fight against 
the children of Ammon, and didst 
not call us to go with thee ? we 
will burn thy house upon thee 
with fire. 



Jerome, in the Vulgate, has render- 
ed it ' And there arose a sedition in 
Ephraim ;' on which Rosenmuller 
remarks, that he took the Heb. verb 
to imply that by mutual clamor and 
vociferation they excited themselves 
to sedition and tumult. ^Went 
northward. Heb. 'passed over north- 
ward.' Crossing the Jordan, they 
advanced in a northerly direction 
towards Mizpeh, where Jepthah now 
was. This region lay to the north- 
east, rather than directly north of 
the territory of Ephraim/ See map. 
H Wherefore passedst thou over, &c. 
Not over Jordan, for he was on the 
farther side of that river already; 
but simply over the intermediate 
regions between him and the scene 
of conflict. We have here a second 
proof of the haughty and turbulent 
disposition of the Ephraimites. They 
had no just ground whatever for 
their present bitter crimination of 
Jepthah. Their jealous and envi- 
ous spirit towards Manasseh was the 
only cause of the injurious charge 
and violent threat which they now 
uttered. Although from being both 
the sons of Joseph they were nearer 
akin than any other of the tribes, yet 
between none other of the tribes was 
there such a burning spirit of rivalry 
and disaffection as between them. 
The conduct of the Ephraimites on 
this occasion, compared with their 
complaints to Joshua and their hos- 
tile attitude towards Gideon, clearly 
evinces a disposition to lord it over 
the other tribes, with an authority 
and pre-eminence to which they were 
certainly not yet entitled. We are re- 
minded by the incidents of the narra- 
tive, (1.) That quarrels between 
brethren are usually most bitter and 
violent. c A brother offended is 
harder to be won than a strong city ; 
and their contentions are as the bars 



A. C. 1143.] CHAPTER XII. 

2 And Jepthah said unto them 



323 



I and my people were at great 
strife with the children of Am- 
mon ; and when I called you, ye 
delivered me not out of their 
hands. 

3 And when I saw that ye de- 
livered me not, I b put my life in 

b I Sam. 19. 5. fc 23. 21. Job 13. 14. Ps. 119. 109 

of a castle.' (2.) They who have 
done the greatest service to the cause 
of God, are not secure from the 
greatest insults, even sometimes 
from the pretended friends of that 
cause. The most spotless characters 
are often the chosen marks for the 
fangs of envy to fasten upon. 

2. And Jepthah said unto them, &c. 
Jepthah's answer, at once firm but 
temperate, shows that their charge 
was as false as malicious; that he 
had called them, and they refused to 
come. The greatest boasters and 
loudest pretenders are usually the 
greatest cowards ; and they who are 
themselves most in fault, are often 
prone to shield themselves by accus- 
ing the innocent. HI and my people 
were at great strife, &c. Heb. ' I was 
a man of strife, and my people, and 
the children of Amnion greatly.' As 
if he had said, ' Although the quar- 
rel was chiefly between us Gileadites 
and the Ammonites, and not between 
you and them, yet out of respect to 
you as brethren and confederates, I 
gave you an invitation to join our 
forces, yet you declined.' In reality 
therefore, he had more cause to con- 
demn them for their indifference to 
the fate of their brethren, than they 
him for taking the field without 
them. Reason is very apt to forsake 
those who renounce right. IT Ye 
delivered me not out of their hands. 
That is, ye strove not, ye attempted 
not, ye did not what in you lay, to 
deliver me. See note on Gen. 37. 21. 
It is not to be supposed that his deli- 
verance and success were suspended, 
entirely upon their efforts in his be- 
half. 

3. J put my life in my hands. Heb. 



my hands and passed over 
against the children of Ammon, 
and the Lord delivered them in- 
to my hand : wherefore then are 
ye come up unto me this day, 
to fight against me ? 

4 Then Jephthah gathered to- 
gether all the men of Gilead, 



1 in my palm.' A strong orientalism' 
implying, 'I risked my life in a 
seemingly desperate undertaking.' 
1 The Hindoos use the same figure ; 
and the idea seems to be taken from 
a man carrying something very pre- 
cious in his hands, and that under 
circumstances of great danger. 
When a son who has been long ab- 
sent returns home, his father says, 
' My son has returned from the far 
country with his life in his hand; 
which means, he has passed through 
many dangers. ' Last night as I 
went home through the place of evil 
spirits, I put my life in my hands/ 
1 The other day in passing through 
the forest, I put my life in my hands, 
for the beasts were near to me in 
every direction.' 'Danger! truly 
so; I put my life in my bosom.' 'O 
that divine doctor ! my son was at 
the point of dean, but he brought. his 
life in his hand.' Roberts. The 
same phrase occurs 1 Sam. 19. 5, 
and 28. 21. Job 13. 14. Ps. 119. 109. 
IT Wherefore then are ye come up unto 
me this day, to fight against me ? If 
God was pleasedtogiveme the victory 
without you, and so far to make use 
of me for his glory, why should you 
be offended'? Should not your re- 
sentment rather become gratitude, 
that you were spared both labor and 
danger % Have you any reason to 
fight against me 7 Is it not in effect 
to sin against God, in whose hand I 
have been only an unworthy instru- 
ment % 

4. Then Jepthah gathered together ', 
&c. Finding all his remonstrances 
vain, and the Ephraimites intent up- 
on a quarrel, he was prompted, per- 
haps under the influence of undue 



324 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1143. 



and fought with Ephraim : and 
the men of Gilead smote Ephra- 
im, because they said, Ye Gil- 
eadites *are fugitives of Ephraim 
among the Ephraimites, and 
the Manassites. 

5 And the Gileadites took the 
d passages of Jordan before the 
Ephraimites : and it was so, that 
when those Ephraimites which 

c See 1 Sam. 25. 10. Ps. 78. 9. d Josh. 22. 11- 

ch. 3 23. &7. 21. 

excitement, to undertake to chastise 
their insolence, It is, at any rate, 
extremely difficult to justify such a 
signal revenge, though it be admit- 
ted that the provocation was very 
great. Even good men often lack 
the self-command, which would en- 
able them to bear with becoming 
calmness the ingratitude and cal- 
umny of others, and in a just cause 
are apt to be hurried on by their 
passions to unwarrantable lengths. 
IT Ye Gileadites are fugitives of 
Ephraim, &c. From the ambiguity 
of the original, it is not easy to as- 
certain precisely where the point of 
this reproach lies. According to the 
present translation, it is an insulting 
intimation that the Gileadites were 
the very scum and refuse of the two 
tribes here mentioned; but the fol- 
lowing may be proposed as a more 
correct rendering of the Hebrew; 
' And the men of Gilead smote 
Ephraim, because they (the Gilead- 
ites) said, Ye are fugitives of Ephra- 
im;' i.e. a mere party, a remnant 
of the whole tribe, who .have come 
hither without being sent to molest 
and insult us, whereas the majority 
of the tribe would be more just and 
generous than to treat us in this 
manner. The ensuing words, ^^ 
fiE3!3>3 ^ItD fc^Bl* k "nrD5 Gilead teas 
intermediate between Ephraim and 
Manasseh, are probably to be enclos- 
ed in a parenthesis, intimating that 
Jepthah's army had taken a position 
between their own territory, and that 
of Ephraim, probably at the fords of 
the Jordan, in order to cut off their 



were escaped, said, Let me go 
over; that the men of Gilead 
said unto him, Art thou an 
Ephraimite ? If he said, Nay ; 

6 Then said they unto him, 
say now Shibboleth : and he 
said Sibboleth : for he could not 
frame to pronounce it right. 
Then they took him and slew 
him at the passages of Jor- 



retreat. Accordingly it is said in 
the next verse, as we would translate 
the words; ' For the Gileadites had 
taken the passages of the Jordan,' &c. 
As the successive companies of the 
Ephraimites approached the banks 
of the stream, to pass over into their 
own country, we suppose they were 
addressed in the manner above men- 
tioned by the Gileadites. Still the 
clause is one of very dubious im- 
port. 

5. Those Ephraimites which icere 
escaped. Heb. ' the fugitives of 
Ephraim ;' precisely the same phrase 
with that occurring in the verse 
above, and confirming the interpre- 
tation there given. We consider 
the drift of the writer in v. 5, 6, to 
be, to state in fuller detail, and with 
some additional particulars, the cir- 
cumstances of the slaughter men- 
tioned v. 4. 

6. Say no2i? Shibboleth ; and he 
said Sibbohth. The original differs 
only in the first letter, o samech, in- 
stead of a sheen. It is well known 
that several nations cannot pro- 
nounce certain letters. The sound 
of ih, so familiar to English organs, 
cannot be pronounced by the people 
of some European countries, nor by 
the Persians, though a common 
sound among the Arabians. To this 
day, many of the German Jews can- 
not articulate this sound in reading 
their own Hebrew Scriptures, but 
substitute 55, as 'baiss for ba-ilh, a 
house, bereshiss for bereshith y the be- 
ginning. It has been remarked a3r 
so that 5^ } which is entirely wanting 



A. C. 1137.] 



CHAPTER XII. 



325 



dan. And there fell at that time 
of the Ephraimites forty and 
two thousand. 

7 And Jephthah judged Israel 
six years : then died Jephthah 

in many languages, is of peculiarly 
difficult pronuDciation to persons 
whose organs have not in childhood 
been inured to it. The word chosen 
by the Gileadites as a test-word sig- 
nifies an ear of corn, and also a 
stream, and was, perhaps, suggested 
by being the name of the object im- 
mediately before them, the river on 
the banks of which they stood. ' Sib- 
boleth,' on the other hand, denotes 
a burden, and how these different 
objects were distinguished in the 
pronunciation of the Ephraimites, it 
is difficult to say. Differences of 
pronunciation, however, even among 
those speaking the same language, 
or the same dialect are nothing ex- 
traordinary. In later times, Peter 
was easily distinguished as a Gali- 
lean in Pilate's hall by his pronun- 
ciation, Mark 14. 70, and travellers 
in the East inform us, that the Ara- 
bic of Cairo, of Aleppo, and of Bag- 
dad, is so different, that one who has 
made himself master of this lan- 
guage in one of these cities, cannot, 
without great difficulty, understand 
or be understood in the others. Eng- 
land itself offers considerable variety 
both of dialect and modes of pronun- 
ciation, and so probably does every 
other country. ITflfc could not frame 
to pronounce it rig fit. Heb. { he did 
not direct to speak it so :' i. e. so as 
he was required. The original does 
not say that he could not, but that he 
did not; because, perhaps, not sus- 
pecting the design, he may have ut- 
tered it rapidly in his usual mann er. 
Still the present translation is by no 
means a bad one. IT And slew him. 
The predominant usage of the ori- 
ginal is in reference to that kind of 
slaughter which was common in the 
case of animal victims offered upon 
the altar; i. e. by cutting the throat, 
jugulation; as if they made the ina- 
bility of the organs of speech in the 
28* 



the Gileadite, and was buried in 
one of the cities of Gilead. 

8 11 And after him Ibzan of 
Beth-lehem judged Israel. 

9 And he had thirty sons and 

throat to utter certain sounds, a pre- 
tence for putting them to death in 
this manner. IT There fell— forty 
and tico thousamd. Heb. d"^3l& 
Dbtf b'Wt- As the Hebrew mode 
of enumeration is peculiar, the co- 
pulative i vau here may perhaps im- 
ply simply addition, so that the sum 
will be 2040 instead of 42,000. At 
the last census, Num. 26. 37, the 
whole tribe of Ephraim only amoun- 
ted to 32,500, compared with w 7 hich 
the last number appears far too great ; 
especially as it is reasonable to be- 
lieve that only a part of the tribe 
crossed the Jordan on this expedition. 
7. Was buried in one of the cities 
of Gilead. Heb. ' in the cities of 
Gilead.' A curious specimen of 
Rabbinical conceit and of the not 
unfrequent style of their exposition, 
is afforded in Raschi's remarks up- 
on these words. From him we learn 
that the ancient Jewish doctors main- 
tained that Jepthah, as a punishment 
for putting his daughter to death , was 
visited by a disease that loosened 
the joints of the different limbs and 
members of his body, and caused 
them to fall off one after another, 
from time to time as he was passing 
to and fro over the country, and that 
they were buried separately, where- 
ever they happened to drop, so that 
when he died, it could be said, from 
this general distribution of his mem- 
bers, that he was ' buried in the cities 
of Gilead!' But how a man could 
be in a travelling condition, while 
his body was thus falling to pieces, 
is a part of the story which is wisely 
passed over in silence. The phrase- 
ology is doubtless idiomatic, the 
plural being put for the singular, as 
Gen. 19. 29, where Lot is said to 
have dwelt' in the cities? i. e. in one 
of the cities. So Jonah 1. 5, the sides 
of the ship appears to denote one of 
the sides. 



326 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1112. 



thirty daughters whom he sent 
abroad, and took in thirty daugh- 
ters from abroad for his sons : 
and he judged Israel seven years. 

10 Then died Ibzan, and was 
buried at Beth-lehem. 

11 IF And after him Elon, a 
Zebulonite, judged Israel, and he 
judged Israel ten years. 

12 And Elon the Zebulonite 
died, and was buried in Aijalon 
in the country of Zebulun. 



8. Ibzan of Bethlehem. The Beth- 
lehem here mentioned, if we may 
believe Josephns, was that in the 
tribe of Judah, and not that in Zebu- 
lun, of which see Josh. 19. 5. The 
Jewish critics, for the most part, 
consider this Ibzan to have been the 
same person with Boaz, spoken of 
in the book of Ruth ; but the opinion 
rests upon conjecture alone. No- 
thing memorable is related of him, 
except the circumstance mentioned 
in the next verse. 

9. Had thirty sons and thirty 
daughters. "Where polygamy was 
practised, such a numerous progeny 
is not surprising. Parallel instances 
in modern times are recited in abun- 
dance by eastern travellers. tf 
Whom he sent abroad. Or, Heb. 
£ out of doors.' That is, disposed of 
in marriage to other families. 
Hence the Vulg. paraphrastically, 
but not incorrectly, ' Whom he send- 
ing abroad gave to husbands;' and 
so in the ensuing clause, ' Took 
w T ives for his sons of the same num- 
ber, bringing them into his house.' 
Ibzan'slot, in this respect, contrasted 
strikingly with that of his predeces- 
sor Jepthah. 

14. Thirty nephews. That is. 
grandsons ; Heb*. ' sons' sons.' On 
the opulence and dignity implied in 
riding upon white asses, see ch. 5. 
10, and 10. 4. 

15. In the mount of the Amalekites. 
For a probable account of the reason 
why this place was so called, see on 



13 1T And after him Abdon 
the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, 
judged Israel. 

14 And he had forty sons and 
thirty nephews, that e rode on 
three-score and ten ass colts : 
and he judged Israel eight years. 

15 And Abdon the son of Hil- 
lel, the Pirathonite died, and was 
buried in Pirathon in the land of 
Ephraim, f in the mount of the 
Amalekites. 

c ch. 5. 10. & 10. 4. f ch. 3. 13, 27. & 5. 14. 

ch. 5. 14. It does not appear certain 
that any thing remarkable took place 
in the civil state of the Israelites, 
during the time of these latter judges, 
though Lightfoot supposes, with 
some plausibility, that the forty 
years' oppression of the Philistines 
commenced in the days of Elon the 
Zebulonite, and was gradually wax- 
ing more and more severe through 
the subsequent administrations. Pre- 
vious, however, to the birth of Sam- 
son, it had not gained sufficient head 
to make it worthy of particular re- 
cord in the inspired narrative. But 
it has been well remarked, that the 
happiest life of individuals, and the 
happiest state of society, is that which 
affords the fewest remarkable events. 
The people, in the main, enjoyed 
peace without, and freedom from 
discord and sedition, though still the 
leaven of theii idolatrous propen- 
sities was secretly working and pre- 
paring them for new troubles in the 
end. As to these several judges, the 
principal fact mentioned in regard 
to each is, that he lived, acted as 
judge, and died. Death, the lot of 
man, at last claims his due of the 
great and the good, and whatever 
else we may hear of any man, we 
are sure to hear one thing — that' he 
died: unless indeed our own depar- 
ture hence anticipates his. 



A. C. 1161. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



327 



CHAPTER XIII. 
A ND the children of Israel a did 
-^ evil aga ; n in the sight of the 
Lord; and the Lord delivered 
them b into the hand of the Phil- 
istines forty years. 

2 IF And there was a certain 
man of c Zorah, of the family of 
the Danites, whose name was 

a ch. 2. 11. & 3. 7. & 4. 1. & 6. 1. & 10. 6. b I Sam. 
12. 9. c Josh. 19. 41. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1. Did evil again. Heb. ' added 
to commit;' i. e. by apostatizing 
from God's pure worship and falling 
into idolatry. See on ch. 3. 7. — 6. 
11. — 10. 6. IT Delivered them into 
the hand of the Philistines forty 
years. This period is not to be un- 
derstood as constituting an interreg- 
num between Abdon and Samson, 
for this would not consist with the 
chronology given 1 Kings, 6. 1, or 
with the intimation v. 5 below, that 
the Israelites were already suffering 
under the rod of the Philistines when 
Samson was raised up for a deliv- 
erer. The probability is, as Samson 
is said to have 'judged Israel twenty 
years in the days of the Philistines ,' 
I. e. during the period of their as- 
cendancy, that the other twenty is to 
be taken out of the times of the pre- 
vious judges, which will carry us up 
at least to the time of Elon, as sug- 
gested by Lightfoot, ch. 12. 15, for 
the commencement of their oppres- 
sion. In order to gain a still fuller 
view of the chain of events here re- 
corded we must revert back to ch. 
10. 6, 7, where it is said that the 
Lord was angry with his people, 
1 and sold them into the hands of the 
Philistines and into the hands of the 
children of Ammon.' Of these two 
servitudes, the last with the deliver- 
ance from it by Jepthah, is treated 
first. This occupies the two preced- 
ing chapters. Having dispatched 
that, the historian now returns back 
and takes up the history of the other 
oppression, and brings it down to the 
death of Samson. 



Manoah ; and his wife was bar- 
ren, and bare not. 

3 And the d angel of the Lord 
appeared unto the woman, and 
said unto her, Behold, now thou 
art barren, and nearest not: 
but thou shalt conceive, and 
bear a son. 

4 Now therefore beware, I 

d ch. 6. 12. Luke 1. 11, 13, 80, 31. 

2, A certain man of Zora. Of the 
city of Zora ; a town in the tribe of 
Judah, but afterwards given to Dan, 
being situated near the confines of 
each tribe. Josh. 15. 33. TT Of 
the family of the Daniles. That is, 
of the tribe of Dan. The word is 
properly a collective singular for the 
plural. IT Was barren and bare 
not. An emphatic repetition in va- 
ried phrase ; of frequent occurrence 
in the sacred writers. Thus Gen. 
11. 30, ' But Sarai was barren ; she 
had no child.' John. 1. 3. ' All things 
were made by him, and without him 
was not any thing made that was 
made.' v. 20, 'And he confessed, 
and denied not.' ' If Manoah's wife 
had not been barren, the angel had 
not been sent to her. Afflictions 
have this advantage, that they occa- 
sion God to show that mercy to us, 
whereof the prosperous are incapa- 
ble.' Bp. Hall. 

3. The angel of the Lord. The 
uncreated angel, the Angel-Jeho- 
vah, so often spoken of in the pre- 
ceding narrative, and who appeared 
to Moses, to Joshua, to Gideon, and 
others. Evidence of this will dis- 
close itself as we proceed. 

4. Beware — drink not icine, &c. 
As the child, whose birth was now 
announced, was to be a Nazarite from 
the womb, the mother herself was to 
be subjected to the law of the Naza- 
rites, that the sanctification of her son 
might commence from herself. She 
must, during the period of gestation 
and nursing, abstain from wine and 
every inebriating liquor, and all 
kinds of forbidden food Things 



328 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161. 



pray thee, and e drink not wine, 
nor strong drink, and eat not 
any unclean thing : 

5 For lo, thou shalt conceive, 
and bear a son; and no f razor 
shall come on his head : for the 
child shall be sa Nazarite unto 
God from the womb : and he 
shall h begin to deliver Israel out 
of the hand of the Philistines. 

ever 14 Num. 6.2, 3. Luke 1. 15. f Num. 6 5. 
1 Sam. Ml. g Num. 6. 2. h See 1 Sam. 7. 13 
2 Sam. 8. 1. 1 Chr. 18. 1. 



that would be lawful at another time, 
were to be refrained from now. The 
nourishment of her child would par- 
take of the qualities of her own, and 
this future deliverer of Israel must 
be in the strictest manner and through 
every period an example of separa- 
tion and consecration to God. As it 
was designed also that he should be 
a person of superhuman strength, 
there was perhaps a fitness in the 
mother's temperance as a natural 
means to produce this result, though 
a miraculous agency was requisite 
over and above all other means what- 
ever. ' The mother must conceive 
the only giant of Israel, and yet must 
drink but water; neither must the 
child touch any other cup. Never 
wine made so strong a champion as 
water did here. He that gave that 
power to the grape, can give it to the 
stream. O God, how justly do we 
raise our eyes from our tables unto 
thee, which canst make water nour- 
ish and wine enfeeble us !' Bp. Hall. 
IT Eat not any unclean thing. Un- 
clean meats were forbidden to all Is- 
raelites at all times; but especially 
and pre-eminently so to the Nazarite, 
Lev. 11. 1 — 47. It was perhaps sole- 
ly for this reason that the precept 
was repeated at this time and on this 
occasion; though Scott supposes, 
not unreasonably, that the distinction 
of meats was not strictly observed at 
this time, as otherwise she would 
scarcely have needed such a caution. 
5. No razor shall come on his head. 
Heb. ' shall go up on his head.' The 



6 1T Then the woman came 
and told her husband, saying, 
*a man of God came unto me, 
and his Countenance was like 
the countenance of an angel of 
God, very terrible : but I tasked 
him not whence he was, neither 
told he me his name: 

7 But he said unto me, Be- 
hold, thou shalt conceive, and 

i Deut. 33. '. 1 Sam 2. 27. & 9. 6. 1 Kings 17. 24. 
k Matt. 28. 3. Luke 9. 29. Acts 6. 15. 1 ver. 17. 
18. 

hair of his head shall neither be 
shorn nor shaven. Of this part of 
the Nazarite's vow, see on Num. 6. 
If For the child shall be a Nazarite 
unto God from the womb. For a full 
account of this peculiar feature of 
the Mosaic institute, see on Num. 6. 
— Oriental usage at the present day 
affords a striking parallel to what is 
here recorded. ' Ail who are mar- 
ried in the East.' says Mr. Roberts, 
' have an intense desire for children. 
It is considered disgraceful, and a 
mark of the displeasure of the gods, 
to have a childless house. Under 
these circumstances, husbands and 
wives perform expensive ceremo- 
nies ; and vow that should the gods 
favor them with a son, 'no razor 
shall come upon his head' (i. e. ex- 
cept upon the ' corners,') until he 
shall be ten or twelve years of age. 
In all schools, boys may be seen with 
elf-locks of ten or twelve years' 
standing, giving a testimony to the 
solicitude, superstition, and affection 
of the parents, and a memorial of the 
favor of the gods.' IF He shall begin 
to deliver Israel. This intimated 
that Israel's oppression should en- 
dure long; for deliverance from it 
was not so much as to begin, not 
even the first step to be taken, till 
this child, now unborn, should grow 
up to years of maturity and become 
capable of undertaking it. And even 
then he was not to complete the de- 
liverance; he was only to begin it; 
for the yoke of the Philistines was 
not fully shaken off the neck of Is- 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XIII. 



329 



bear a son ; and now drink no 
wine nor strong drink, neither 
eat any unclean thing : for the 
child shall be a Nazariteto God 
from the womb to the day of his 
death. 

8 fl Then Manoah entreated 
the Lord, and said, O my Lord, 
let the man of God which thou 

rael till the time of David. Thus 
1 God carries on his work gradually, 
and by several hands. One lays the 
foundation of a good work, another 
builds, and perhaps a third brings 
forth the top-stone.' Henry. Christ 
on the other hand, the great counter- 
part of Samson, both begins and per- 
fects his people's salvation ; he is at 
once the Author and Finisher of 
faith. 

6. A man of God. So called be- 
cause he appeared in human form, 
leading her to suppose him merely 
a prophet sent from God. So after- 
wards v. 8, 10, 11. She seems, how- 
ever, to have had a strong suspicion 
that he was something more than 
human. IT Very terrible. Rather, 
perhaps, venerable, awful, full of 
majesty; such as at once to inspire 
the deepest respect and reverence ; 
so that according to every idea she 
could form on the subject his coun- 
tenance very much resembled that 
of an angel." 

8. Let the man of God — come again 
Qinto ns, and teach us, &c. Josephus 
represents the second appearance of 
the angel as essential to Manoah's 
peace of mind, as his excessive at- 
tachment to his wife, made him jeal- 
ous of her conversation with a stran- 
ger. But the narrative contains no- 
thing to warrant such an insinua- 
tion. On the other hand, his request 
appears to have been prompted by a 
strong faith and a high esteem of 
the promised blessing, and a sincere 
desire to receive farther intimations 
of duty. He may have thought it 
possible too that his wife's joy for the 
promise should have made her forget 
some part of the charge which the 



didst send come again unto us, 
and teach us what we shall do 
unto the child that shall be born. 
9 And God hearkened to the 
voice of Manoah ; and the angel 
of God came again unto the wo- 
man as she sat in the field : but 
Manoah her husband teas not 
with her. 



angel connected with it. On this 
point he would be fully informed; 
he dreads the possibility of a mistake 
1 When I see the strength of Ma- 
noah's faith, I marvel not that he had 
a Samson to his son ; he saw not the 
messenger, he heard not the errand, 
he examined not the circumstances; 
yet now he takes thought, not 
whether he should have a son, but 
how he shall order the son which he 
must have. Zecharias had the same 
message, and craving a sign lost the 
voice wherewith he craved it: Ma- 
noah seeks no sign for the promise, 
but counsel for himself. Happy are 
they that have not seen, yet believed: 
true faith takes all for granted, yea, 
for performed, that is promised/ 
Bp. Hall. The petition of Manoah 
reminds us also that the care of chil- 
dren is a great concern, and that those 
who have the parental relation in 
prospect can make no more suitable 
prayer at the throne of grace than 
that of the pious Danite on this oc- 
casion. Who upon the eve of be- 
coming parents has not need to say, 
' Teach us what we shall do to the 
child that shall be born.' 

9. And God hearkened — and the 
angel of God came again , The 
phraseology here is worthy of notice. 
The sacred writer does not say, 
' And God hearkened to the voice of 
Manoah, and sent his angel,' but, 
' God hearkened to the voice of Ma- 
noah and the angel of God came 
again,' implying that it was the God 
who hearkened to the voice of his 
servant that came in the person of 
his Son. He perhaps appeared to 
Manoah's wife a second time rather 
than to Manoah himself ; because she 



330 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161. 



16 And the woman made 
haste, and ran, and showed her 
husband, and said unto him, Be- 
hold, the man hath appeared 
unto me, that came unto me the 
other day. 

11 And Manoah arose, and 
went after his wife, and came to 
the man, and said unto him, Art 
thou the man that spakest unto 
the woman ? And he said, I am. 

12 And Manoah said, Now 
let thy words come to pass. 



was more especially interested both 
in the blessing and the charge than 
he was. He may also have had o;her 
reasons unknown to us. The divine 
condescension in granting a repeti- 
tion of the visit is too striking to be 
overlooked. How clearly does it 
prove that nothing is more accepta- 
ble to God than a sincere desire to 
know our duty, and that sooner than 
our prayers to that effect shall go un- 
answered, a heavenly messenger 
shall be sent for our instruction. 
But thanks be to God, with the Bible 
and the Holy Spirit for our guides 
we have no need of angelic instruc- 
ions to direct us what to do. 

10. And the woman made haste, and 
ran, &c. Doubtless after humbly 
entreating the messenger to stay, and 
obtaining his consent. Those who 
have met with a refreshing visit from 
God cannot but instinctively exclaim, 
* Return O God of hosts, return;' 
and when the favor is granted, how 
ardently do they long that those who 
are near and dear to them may also 
share in the comfort and sweetness 
of their divine communion. What 
is the fellowship of husbands and 
wives if it extend not to a mutual 
communication of each other's reli- 
gious experiences, of their hopes and 
fears, joys and sorrows'? 

12. Let thy words come to pass. 
This clause as it reads in our trans- 
lation is simply the expression of an 
earnest wish, that the promise gra- 



How shall we order the child, 
and how shall we do unto him. 

13 And the angel of the Lord 
said unto Manoah, Of all that I 
said unto the woman, let her be- 
ware. 

14 She may not eat of any 
thing that cometh of the vine, 
m neither let her drink wine or 
strong drink, nor eat any un- 
clean thing : all that I command- 
ed her let her observe. 

15 H And Manoah said unto 



ciously made to his wife may be ful- 
filled. It is a kind of pious amen to 
the angel's previous announcement \ 
and this was probably his real feel* 
ing ; but the Heb. may properly be 
rendered, ' and now thy words shall 
come to pass,' intimating his most 
implicit confidence in the promise. 
'Lord, I lay hold upon what thou 
hast said, and depend upon it with 
the most unwavering assurance.' 
M How shall we order the child and, 
how shall we do unto him ? Heb. 
1 what shall be the rule, prescription, 
institution (tD&fflfc) in regard to the 
child, and what our doing (intD3>&) 
towards him V That is, what shall 
be his training! how shall we edu- 
cate him? The former term, which 
is usually translated judgment or or- 
dinance, seems to imply the divine 
disposition or purpose in regard to the 
child, and the latter the proper mode 
of executing or accomplishing it on 
their part. Though the literal ren- 
dering of ifittJ9?3 is his work or doing, 
yet the import is obviously what is 
done to or towards him, just as in Gen. 
50. 4, the phrase ' days of his mourn- 
ing' means the days of mourning for 
him. So also Job, 41.9. ' The hope 
of him (the leviathan) is vain/ i. e. 
the hope of taking him. 

13. And the angel of the Lord said, 
&c. It might seem at first view that 
the angel's answer was not pertinent 
to the question. Manoah inquired 
what conduct they should observe ia 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XIII. 



331 



the angel of the Lord, I pray 
thee, n let us detain thee, until 
we shall have made ready a kid 
for thee. 

16 And the angel of the Lord 
said unto Manoah, Though thou 
detain me, I will not eat of thy 



regard to the child; the angel in his 
reply merely reiterates the charge he 
had before given in respect to the 
mother. In explanation we may re- 
mark, that the child to be born was 
to be a Nazarite set apart and conse- 
crated to God Until the period of 
his birth, therefore, and while at the 
breast, she was, for his sake, to ab- 
stain from all the things inhibited 
above. But if it was solely for the 
child's sake that these commands 
were laid upon her, the inference 
would be very fair, that he also was 
to be taught to govern himself by the 
same rules, and it was the duty of 
his parents to see that this was the 
case. In fact it was this that consti- 
tuted the very essence of his Naza- 
rite state. The directions, therefore, 
relative to the child were really in- 
volved in those that had respect to 
the mother, and it would require no 
far-fetched construction so to under- 
stand them. The divine injunctions 
are not always given in the most di- 
rect form, but to a heart rightly dis- 
posed they are always intelligible. 

15. Uiitil ice shall have made ready 
a kid for thee. Heb. ' before thee.' 
Not yet aware of the true character 
of his visiter. Manoah proposed this 
as an act of hospitality. 

16. I will not eat of thy bread. As 
the proffer of Manoah was to serve 
up for the angel a dish of kid's flesh, 
the term, ■ bread' here must be taken 
with some latitude to signify food in 
general ; a sense which it evidently 
bears 2 Kings, 6. 22, 23. Matt. 6. 11. 
IT And if thou unit offer a burnt-offer- 
ing. Rather, l but if thou wilt offer,' 
&c, To us this part of the angel's 
answer seems to be made, not so 
much to what Manoah actually said, 



bread : and if thou wilt offer a 
burnt-offering thou must offer it 
unto the Lord. For Manoah 
knew not that he was an angel 
of the Lord. 

17 And Manoah said unto the 
angel of the Lord, What is thy 



as to what he was inwardly revolv- 
ing in his own mind. If we mistake 
not, he had by this time began to en- 
tertain suspicions that the personage 
with whom he was conversing was 
truly divine ; and if so, he could not 
but be aware that a sacrificial offer- 
ing was a more suitable expression 
of the sentiments with which he 
ought to regard him, than a common 
meal; and as the tradition of Gide- 
on's offering under similar circum- 
stances at a former period, and the 
manner of its reception, had doubt- 
less come down to him, he appears 
to have been at this time wavering in 
his own mind like his renowned 
predecessor as to what should be the 
real character of the offering that he 
now proposed to make. The angel 
perceiving this answers him accord- 
ingly. He does not forbid him to 
present a burnt-offering, but he 
would have him do it intelligently; 
he would have him assured as to the 
true character of the object of his 
worship. In saying, ' If thou wilt 
offer a burnt-offering, thou must offer 
it unto the Lord,' he does not deny 
that he was himself Jehovah, or inti- 
mate that he would decline the honor 
which Manoah intended, any more 
than our Saviour wouldintimate that 
he was not good, when, being ad- 
dressed by the title ' good master,' 
he replied, 'there is none good but 
God.' In both cases his answer has 
reference to the state of mind of the 
speaker, or to the light in ichich they 
regarded him. Here he merely in- 
tended to say, that though he might 
offer him a common meal as a man, 
yet it would not do to offer him a 
sacrifice as such, or while he was 
not in possession of full evidence that 



332 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161. 



name, that when thy sayings 
come to pass, we may do thee 
honor ? 

18 And the angel of the Lord 



the being he thus proposed to honor 
was indeed divine. This evidence 
he had not yet gained,. and therefore 
it is immediately added, ' For Ma- 
noah knew not (had not a clear con- 
viction) that it was an angel (rather, 
the angel) of the Lord;' i. e. the 
Angel- Jehovah ; but he was soon 
to be assured that he was. The 
whole address of the angel appears 
to be framed wi'h reference to the 
manifestation wnich he was just 
about to make. 

17. What is thy name? Heb. 
c who is thy nameV Name in refer- 
ence to the Supreme Being is in 
Scripture style very much the same 
as nature; and we suppose this to 
be the real drift of Manoah's ques- 
tion, to learn the nature, the essen- 
tial character, of the mysterious 
being whom he addressed; for that 
he regarded him as a superhuman 
personage cannot, we think, be 
doubted from an attentive examina- 
tion of the passage. At any rate, the 
answer of the angel, as we shall see, 
was adapted to such a scope in Ma- 
noah's interrogation. That he was 
prompted by somewhat of an unhal- 
lowed curiosity in making the in- 
quiry is indeed supposed by many 
commentators, but we see nothing in 
the text to warrant it. On the other 
hand, we know no reason to doubt 
that he was really actuated by the 
motive assigned, a disposition to ren- 
der him due honor and thanks when 
the promise should be fulfilled. 

18. Why askest thou thus after my 
name, seeing it is secret ? This has 
at first blush the air of a rebuke for 
putting such a question ; but compar- 
ing it with what follows we imagine 
it is such in appearance only. A re- 
buke supposes something criminal 
or censurable in him who is the sub- 
ject of it. But what offence could 
attach to a respectful and reverential 



said unto him, ° Why askest thou 
thus after my name, seeing it is 
secret ? 

19 So Manoah took a kid, 



question of this kind'? Why was the 
mere secrecy of the name a reason for 
its not being asked'? Was it not in 
fact for this very reason that he did 
ask it 1 We admit, indeed, that if 
Manoah had been previously inform- 
ed that the name was ineffable — that 
it was designed to be kept a profound 
secret — he would have been guilty 
of high presumption in demanding 
it. But we see no evidence of this in 
any part of the sacred text, and con- 
clude therefore that the angel made 
use of this interrogative form of 
speech merely in order to introduce 
in the most suitable and impressive 
manner the declaration that follows 
constituting the real point of his re- 
ply. 'It is secret;' — or rather as in 
the margin, ' It is wonderful,' for so 
the original (^sod) properly implies, 
and so is it expressly rendered, Is. 9. 
6, ' His name shall be called Won- 
derful (a^s);' i. e. his nature, his 
character shall be wonderful ; pro- 
perly implying that kind of wonder 
which is the natural effect of mira- 
cles, of marvellous and superhuman 
■works. In apparently declining 
therefore to reveal his name he does 
in fact make known one of his most 
august and glorious titles, one which 
w r ent far towards conveying an idea 
of the divine attributes of his nature, 
and one which was therefore emi- 
nently appropriate to the drift of 
Manoah's question. The implica- 
tion probably is, ' You have scarcely 
any real occasion to inquire as to 
my name (nature;) it is obvious 
from the words, promises, and ac- 
tions already witnessed and yet fur- 
ther to be displayed, that lam, and 
am therefore to be called, Peli, the 
Admirable One, the great Worker of 
wonders, the Master of miracles. 3 
The origial ^Jb has the form of a 
proper name, but the force of an appel- 
lative. Whether he fully understood 



A, C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XIII. 



333 



with a meat-offering, *>and offer- 
ed it upon a rock unto the Lord ; 
and the angel did wondrously, 
and Manoah and his wife looked 



on. 



20 For it came to pass, when 
the flame went up toward heaven 
from off the altar, that the an- 
gel of the Lord ascended in the 



p ch. 6. 19, 20. 



its entire import is perhaps to be 
doubted; but whether he did or not, 
the declaration is to us, considered in 
one point of view, immensely impor- 
tant; for by assuming a title which 
unquestionably belongs to the pro- 
mised Messiah, he identifies himself 
with that divine personage, and con- 
sequently puts it beyond a doubt who 
it is that is meant by the term ' Angel' 
or l Angel of the Lord,' so frequent- 
ly occuring in the Old Testament 
Scriptures, in connection with mi- 
raculous appearances and revela- 
tions. It is plain that it is no other 
than the Angel-Jehovah, so empha- 
tically alluded to Ex. 23. 20, 21, 
* Behold I send an Angel before 
thee, to keep thee in the way, and to 
bring thee into the place which I 
have prepared. Beware of him, and 
obey his voice, provoke him not ; for 
he will not pardon your transgres- 
sions ; form?/ name is in him;' i. e. 
my nature is in him; he possesses 
true and essential divinity. The ex- 
alted character, therefore, which he 
claimed by the assumption of this 
title he proceeded to 'display still 
more fully in the incident that fol- 
lowed. 

19. Manoah took a kid^-and offer- 
ed it, &c. He had by this time be- 
come so far satisfied as to the real 
character of his guest, that he no 
longer doubted in what manner to 
express his grateful and reverential 
feelings towards him. He deter- 
mines to do this by offering the kid 
as a holocaust accompanied with the 
usual meal or flour-offering (erro- 
neously rendered ' meat-offering') 
29 



flame of the altar, and Manoah 
and his wife looked on it, and 
qfell on their faces to the ground. 

21 But the angel of the Lord 
did no more appear to Manoah 
and to his wife. r Then Manoah 
knew that he was an angel of 
the Lord. 

22 And Manoah said unto his 

q Lev. 9. 24. 1 Chr. 21. 16. Ezek. 1. 28. Matt. 17. 6. 
r ch. 6. 22, 



which the law prescribed. For this 
purpose he selects a rock, as did Gid- 
eon upon a like occasion, ch. 6. 20. 
21, instead of an altar. Large mas- 
ses of stone, of various forms, some 
of which are well adapted to such a 
use, frequently occur in the plains 
and valleys of Judea, and other hilly 
countries. Some of these are seen in 
their natural position, rising out of 
the ground, while others appear as 
detached fragments, thrown down 
from the rocky eminences. To such 
insulated masses of rock there are 
repeated references in the Scriptures. 
IF And the angel did wondrously. 
Heb. fc^iiSto maphlia; in correspon- 
dence with the name which he had 
before attributed to himself. Being 
ivonderful, he performed wonderful 
things ; probably causing fire to arise 
out of the rock, and consume the 
sacrifice ; and we are expressly told 
that he afterwards ascended in the 
flame. The word ' angel 5 it is true, 
does not occur in the original, but 
from the tenor of the narrative there 
can be no doubt who is intended. 

21 . Then Manoah knew that he was 
an angel of the Lord. Rather, ' that 
he was the angel;' the divine un- 
created angel ; the Angel- Jehovah. 
He was now fully and undoubtingly 
assured. This put the finishing 
stroke to the process of conviction 
which from the commencement of 
the interview had been going on in 
Manoah's mind. 

22. We shall surely die, because we 
have seen God. Perceiving that the 
personage who had now appeared to 
him was no other than God in human 



334 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161. 



wife, "We shall surely die, be- 
cause we have seen God. 

23 But his wife said unto him, 
If the Lord were pleased to kill 
us, he would not have received 
a burnt-offering and a meat-of- 
fering at our hands, neither 
would he have showed us all 

s Gen. 32. 30. Ex. 33. 20. Deut 5. 26. ch. 6. 22. 

shape, he conceived, according to 
popular belief, that both he and his 
wife must die. This idea was not 
without some foundation ; for when 
Moses had entreated the Lord to 
show him his glory, he answered, 
* Thou canst not see my face ; for 
there shall no man see me and live ;' 
and for this very reason God put 
him into a cleft of a rock, and per- 
mitted him to see, as it were, only 
1 his back parts,' a very partial dis- 
play of his glory. So when Jacob 
had been favored with a visit from 
the same divine person in the shape 
of an angel, he expressed his aston- 
ishment, that ' his life was preserv- 
ed,' Gen. 32. 29, 30. From these 
passages we may learn the grounds 
of the prevailing impressions on the 
subject. But while we do not won- 
der at the apprehensions of Manoah, 
we the more admire the composure 
of his wife. She argued in a direct- 
ly different way. She considered 
the mercies already vouchsafed to 
them as tokens for good; for why 
should God confer such singular 
honor upon them, if he intended to 
kill them'? Why did he accept the 
burnt-offering at their hands'? Why 
stoop to impart to them such infor- 
mation 1 Why give them such gra- 
cious promises ^ Was all this done 
to mock them 1 Indeed, if he should 
kill them, how could the promises be 
fulfilled 1 or for what purpose were 
they given 1 The honor of the divine 
veracity therefore required that they 
should be preserved. This was a 
just mode of arguing ; for such mer- 
cies were both evidences and pledges 
of his love; and therefore were 



these things, nor would as at 
this time have told us such things 
as these. 

24 1F And the woman bare a 
son, and called his name *Sam- 
son. And u the child grew, and 
the Lord blessed him. 

25 *And the Spirit of the 

t Heb. 11. 32. u 1 Sam. 3. 19. Luke 1. 80. & 2. 52 
x ch. 3. 10. 1 Sam. 11. 6. Matt. 4. 1. 

rather to be considered as earnests 
of future blessings, than as harbin- 
gers of ill. The woman in this 
showed herself not only the strong- 
est believer, but the wisest reasoner. 
The incidents related may teach us, 
(1.) That in times of dark and dis- 
couraging providences or sore temp- 
tations we should remember the past 
experience of God's goodness as a 
ground of present support. 'Account 
the long suffering of God to be salva- 
tion. 5 He that hath so kindly helped 
us and dealt with us hitherto means 
not to destroy us at last. (2.) That 
the sinner oppressed with a sense of 
his deserts has no reason to despair. 
Let him remember what Christ has 
done for him by his bloody sacrifice, 
and read in it a sure proof, that he 
does not design his death. 

23. Nor would as at this time, &c. 
Or, Heb. 'at this time. 5 The ex- 
pression is perhaps designed to be 
emphatical, implying that God 5 s 
mercy was greatly enhanced by 
being afforded to them at this partic- 
ular time, a time of general calamity, 
when the word of the Lord was pre- 
cious, and there was no open vision. 
1 Sam. 3. 1. 

24. Called his name Samson. Heb. 
"pEJfalD Shimshon. The root is un- 
doubtedly -©fa ID Shemesh, the sun, bu t 
what relation the name was intended 
to bear to this object, we are no 
where informed. Schmid conjec- 
tures that it was in allusion to the 
shining countenance of the angel 
when he first appeared to Manoah's 
wife. Perhaps, or a still more proba- 
ble supposition is, that it was in mem- 
ory of the resplendent brightness in 



A. C. 1141.] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



335 



Lord began to move him at 
times in the camp of Dan, ^be- 
tween Zorah and EshtaoL 



A 



CHAPTER XIV. 

ND Samson went down a to 
Timnath, and b saw a wo- 
man in Timnath of the daughters 
of the Philistines. 

y .lu.«h. 15. 33. ch. 18.11. a Gen. 38. 13. Join. 
15. 10. b Gen. 34. 2. 

which his whole person may for a 
moment have been arrayed just as he 
departed from their sight. IT And 
the Lord blessed him. Gave evident 
proofs that the child was under his 
peculiar protection; blessed him by 
qualifying him both in body and 
mind for something great and extra- 
ordinary. 

25. The Spirit of the Lord began 
to move him at times. To stir him 
up to bold exploits; inspiring him, 
in view of the degrading bondage of 
his countrymen, with an ardent zeal 
to do something towards their deliv- 
erance. Under this supernatural 
impulse he was led from time to time 
to put forth astonishing specimens of 
valor and strength, such perhaps as 
his slaying the lion, ch. 14. 6 ; achiev- 
ments which clearly evinced his de- 
signation of heaven for the work to 
which he was called and set apart. 
The import of the original (qsbJ) 
for l moved' is peculiar. As es& the 
radical form signifies an anvil, the 
metaphor is probably drawn from the 
repealed and somewhat violent strokes 
of the workman with his hammer. 
It implies therefore a peculiar ur- 
gency, an impelling influence on the 
part of the Spirit, which made its sub- 
ject invincible. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1. Samson went down t» Timnath. 
A frontier town of Dan, lying close 
upon the borders of the Philistines' 
country. It originally belonged to 
Judah, but was afterwards assigned 
to Dan. It was situated about twenty 
miles west of Jerusalem; and about 



2 And he came up, and told 
his father and his mother, and 
said, I have seen a woman in 
Timnath of the daughters of the 
Philistines : now therefore c get 
her for me to wife. 

3 Then his father and his mo- 
ther said unto him, Is there never 
a woman among the daughters 

c Gen. 21. 21. & 34. 4. 



twelve north-east of Eshtaol. There 
evidently had been some remissness 
on the part of Israel in driving out 
the Philistines from this place, but 
as the latter had now the upper hand, 
it is not surprising that they dwelt in 
the cities of the former, whom they 
had probably put under tribute, and 
although the two races were in an 
attitude of hostility towards each 
other, yet it seems not at this time to 
have interrupted all intercourse be- 
tween them. Indeed the terms on 
which the Israelites lived and min- 
gled with their devoted neighbors the 
Canaanites, as is evident from many 
parts of their history, were such as 
we should scarcely have expected 
from people so related. But ' the 
holy seed' in all ages has been too 
prone to cultivate intimacies and 
form alliances with the world of the 
ungodly. 

2. Get her for me to wife. That is, 
take measures for that purpose; en- 
deavor to bring it about. No part of 
the Scripture has afforded more oc- 
casion for the doubts of skeptics or 
the scoffs of infidels than the history 
of Samson. His character is indeed 
dark and almost inexplicable. By 
none of the judges of Israel did God 
work so many miracles, and yet by 
none were so many faults committed. 
He is enrolled by Paul in the list of 
ancient worthies in the eleventh of 
Hebrews, which affords a strong pre- 
sumption, though not, we conceive, 
a positive proof, of his being a truly 
pious man. It must be recollected, 
however, that his history is very 
short, and that the peculiarity of the 



336 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 114L 



of d thy brethren, or among all 
my people, that thou goest to 
take a wife of the e uncircumcis- 

d Gen. 24. 3, 4. e Gen. 34. 14. Ex. 34. 16. Deut 
7.3. 

dispensation under which he lived, 
may account for many things, which, 
if done at this time and without the 
special appointment of Heaven, 
would be highly criminal. Besides, 
there may have been in him many 
exercises of true piety, which, if re- 
corded, would have reflected a differ- 
ent light upon his character. In the 
present instance it must be admitted 
that his conduct in suffering his af- 
fections to be ensnared by a Phil- 
istine woman, had an ill appearance. 
Marriage connections with the Phil- 
istines who were not of the devoted 
nations, were not indeed prohibited 
to the Israelites by the letter of the 
law, though by its spirit they un- 
doubtedly were. The danger of 
being enticed to idolatry was the rea- 
son of the law as it respected allian- 
ces with the Canaanites, and this rea- 
son we cannot but suppose was 
equally applicable to connections 
with the Philistines. Still the law 
was merely ceremonial, and if God 
saw fit to dispense with it in regard 
to any of his servants, he could do so 
unimpeached. That this was the 
case in the present instance, there are 
strong grounds, from the actual event 
to believe. At least,we do not feel at li- 
berty, from a view of the facts record- 
ed to pronounce positively a sentence 
of condemnation on this part of Sam- 
son's conduct. But whatever judg- 
ment we may form of the measure 
on the whole, his mode of procedure 
was in one respect highly deserving 
of commendation. He took no step 
towards forming the connexion, not 
even so much as paying his ad- 
dresses to her, without first making 
his parents acquainted with the mat- 
ter, and obtaining their consent. In 
his example we read an admonition 
that addresses itself to all children in 
simitar circumstances. Next to the 
sanction of heaven, the concurrence 
of parents is requisite to render that 



ed Philistines? And Samson 
said unto his father, Get her for 
me ; for she pleaseth me well. 



relation a source of comfort and hap- 
piness to the parties concerned^ 
Consulting them is consulting our 
own welfare, as well acting up to the 
spirit of the divine injunction in the 
fifth commandment. 

3. Is there never a woman, &c. 
His parents, aware of the divine pro- 
hibitions relative to foreign alliances,, 
and also of the high and solemn de- 
signation of their son, of course re- 
monstrate with him and endeavor to 
dissuade him from what they con- 
ceived so imprudent and unbecom- 
ing a connexion. They inquire 
whether among the daughters of his 
1 brethren,' i. e. of the tribe of Dan, 
he could not find a more suitable ob- 
ject of choice. If not, there was the 
whole nation of Israel — ' all my peo- 
ple' — that afforded him a field of se- 
lection. Why then should he have 
occasion to goto the daughters of a 
heathen race 1 ' 1 wish/ says an old 
divine, { that Manoah and his wife 
could speak so loud that all our Is- 
rael should hear them/ By nothing 
is the heart of a pious parent more 
grieved than by the prospect of the 
unequal yoking of their children 
with profane or irreligious partners ; 
for he knows that nothing is so 
likely to prove injurious to their spi- 
ritual interests, and subject them to 
heart-rending trials. IF For she 
pleaseth me well. Heb. ji^ioh a" 1 ?! 
^2S she is right in mine eyes. Tak- 
ing these words in connection with 
what is said in the next verse, we 
very much doubt whether our pre- 
sent translation does full justice to 
Samson's motives. According to 
this, he urges no stronger reason for 
the step proposed than that the wo- 
man pleased his fancy, and for aught 
that appears from the rendering it 
was on this ground alone that his pa- 
rents acceded to his request. But if 
they conceived the measure tobedi^ 
rectly contrary to the precepts of tho 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



337 



4 But his father and his mo- 
ther knew not that it was f of the 



f Josh. 11.20. 
10. 15. & 22. 7. 



t Kin. 12. 15. 2 Kin. 6. 33. 
& 25 20- 



law, how could they, as true believ- 
ers and obedient servants of God, 
yield their consent and co-operation, 
merely to gratify the headstrong pas- 
sion of their son, unless they had 
some intimation that God himself 
had authorized in this instance a de- 
parture from his established ordi- 
nance 1 Should we look for such a 
concession to human infirmity from 
the pious pair who had so devoutly 
entertained a messenger from hea- 
ven, and listened to his commands 7 
The fact is, if we mistake not, Sam- 
son does not intend mainly to say in 
these words, ' she is well-pleasing in 
my sight,' for the original word is 
not an adjective, having the sense of 
beautiful, engaging, attractive, but 
a verb conveying indeed the idea 
of right, but of right relative to an 
end, purpose, or object; in other 
words, of fitness or adaptation. See 
Gussetius on the root i©^, and com- 
pare the use of it 2 Sam. 17. 4. 
1 Kings. 9. 12. 2 Chron. 30. Num. 
23. 27. This then we conceive af- 
fords the true clue to Samson's 
meaning ; { She is right in my eyes ;' 
i. e. adapted to the end which I have 
in view; she may be used, she is 
available for a purpose entirely ulte- 
rior to the immediate connexion 
which I propose. That Samson, 
however, entertained a genuine af- 
fection for the woman, and was not 
influenced solely by views of policy 
in the transaction, we see no reason 
to doubt. But that he intended at the 
same time to make this alliance sub- 
servient to to the great purpose of 
delivering his country from oppres- 
sion, there are very strong grounds 
for believing. 

4. But his father and his mother 
knew not, &c. These words appear 
to be inserted parenthetically for the 
purpose of intimating the reason to 
which it was owing, that Samson's 
parents declined giving their consent 
to the proposed marriage. They did 



Lord, that he sought an occasion 
against the Philistines : for at 



not know God's puropses in respect 
to it. Had they known them, the im- 
plication is that their decison would 
have been different; and as we learn 
from the next verse that their objec- 
tions were overruled, and that they 
went with their son to Timnath in 
reference to the object of his suit, the 
inference is fair, that in some way 
they did become acquainted with the 
divine counsels. Their going is to be 
considered, we think, rather in the 
light of an acquiescence in the will 
of heaven, than of a yielding to the 
mere importunities of their son. In 
what particular manner they became 
enlightened in respect to the ultimate 
bearings of the measure, we are not 
informed, and must of course be left 
to mere conjecture. To us it ap- 
pears most probable that Samson 
frankly laid open to them all his 
mind, and that in these disclosures 
they saw satisfactory evidence that 
he was moved by the Spirit of God 
in this transaction in a way that they 
did not dare to resist. IT That he 
sought an occasion against the Phil- 
istines. That is, an occasion of 
avenging the wrongs inflicted by the 
Philistines on the Israelites. It is 
worthy of note that the Hebrew, in- 
stead of ' against the Philistines,' has 
{ of or from the Philistines ;' clearly 
implying that the occasion sought 
should be one that originated on the 
side of the Philistines. The sense 
exhibited by our common rendering 
is not indeed essentially different 
from this, but we prefer to express 
the exact shade of the original where- 
ever it can be done. As far as the 
grammatical construction is concern- 
ed, there is nothing to prevent this 
being understood of the Lord him- 
self as the proper subject of the verb. 
But it seems on the whole more na- 
tural and plausible to understand it 
of Samson — that he sought occasion 
I against the Philistines — though at 
I the same time with the connivance 



338 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1161, 



that time Hhe Philistines had do- 
minion over Israel. 

g ch. 13. 1, Deut. 28. 48. 

and under the prompting of the Most 
High, who saw fit in this indirect 
way to bring about the accomplish- 
ment of his designs of retribution to- 
wards his enemies. If it be asked 
why infinite wisdom chose to adopt 
this peculiar method of compassing 
the object, although our inability to 
answer the question would not at all 
affect the claims of the sacred narra- 
tive, yet it may be suggested, that the 
reason is perhaps to be drawn from 
the special design of God in raising 
up Samson as a deliverer. His 
leading purpose in this seems to have 
been to baffle the poiver of the ivhole 
Philistine nation by the prowess of a 
single individual.' The champion 
of Israel therefore was not appointed 
so much to be the leader of an army 
like the other judges, as to be an army 
in himself. In order then that the 
contest might be carried on in this 
way, it was necessary that the entire 
opposition of the Philistines should 
be concentrated, as far as possible, 
against the person of Samson. This 
would array the contending parties 
precisely in such an attitude as to 
illustrate most signally the power of 
God in the overthrow of his enemies. 
But how could this result be brought 
about except by means of some pri- 
vate quarrel between Samson and the 
enemy with which he was to contend 1 
and who can say that the scheme 
now projected was not the very best 
that could have been devised tor ac- 
complishing the end which God had 
in view 1 To what extent Samson 
foresaw all the events that were to 
grow out of this transaction, or how 
far he had a plan distinctly laid cor- 
responding with the results that ac- 
tually ensued, it is difficult to deter- 
mine. The probability, we think, is, 
that he had rather a general strong 
impression, wrought by the Spirit of 
God, than a definite conception, of the 
train of events that were to transpire. 
It was however a conviction as to ] 



5 IT Then went Samson down, 
and his father, and his mother, 



the issue sufficiently powerful to 
warrant both him and his parents in 
going forward with the measure. 
They were in some way assured that 
they were engaged in a proceeding 
which God would overrule, to the fur- 
therance of his designs of mercy to 
his people and of judgment to their 
oppressors. God foresaw, though 
they did not, how basely and perfid- 
iously his wife's friends and rela- 
tions would act towards Samson, and 
what just grounds of war would on 
this account arise. In all this, how- 
ever, they would act freely and with- 
out compulsion, so that there would 
be no injustice in their punishment ; 
and what should prevent the right- 
eous Lord God from availing him- 
self of his omniscience in working 
out to his enemies the due recom- 
pense of their deeds ? IT For at that 
time the Philistines had dominion over 
Israel. Added in order to intimate the 
general moving cause which prompt- 
ed Samson to exert himself in be- 
half of his people. They were suf- 
fering under the despotic and tyran- 
nical sway of their oppressors. It was 
in this fact that a justification was 
to be sought for the commencement 
of hostilities. Schmid, however, ex- 
presses the belief that a still deeper 
sense is couched under these words, 
viz. that they are intended to as- 
sign a reason why Samson should 
have felt it necessary to seek any oc- 
casion at all for entering upon war- 
like operations. His curious conceit 
on the subject is as follows; — The 
Philistines, although they were now 
cruelly oppressing the Israelites, yet 
by the acknowledged rights of war, 
they had justly acquired this domin- 
ion over them, and such is God's ab- 
horrence of all rebellions and insur- 
rections against existing powers, that 
they were not at liberty, on the sim- 
ple plea or pretence of tyranny, to 
endeavor to shake off the yoke. 
Consequently some just occasion was 



A. C. 1161.] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



to Timnath, and came to the vine- 
yards of Timnath : and behold, a 
young lion roared against him. 



to be sought as a warrant for the at- 
tempt, and unless such a plausible 
pretext should arise our commenta- 
tor would have us understand that 
the bare fact of the Philistines' hav- 
ing the ascendency over Israel was 
a sufficient reason for their abstain- 
ing from all efforts to regain their 
liberties. This he supposes to be the 
genuine drifi of the illative ' for' in 
the clause before us. Samson sought 
an occasion against the Philistines, 
'for (because) at that time the Philis- 
tines had dominion over Israel,' and 
therefore it would be unlawful to rise 
against them without such an occa- 
sion ! In connection with this expo- 
sition he quotes with applause the 
remarks of Brent, commending the 
singular prudence andmoderation of 
Samson, that although he had ample 
grounds in the divine commission 
implied in the very fact of his being 
raised up and set apart as a national 
deliverer, yet to avoid offence, he 
will not undertake the work till a 
just and legitimate cause of war oc- 
curs. All this reasoning, savoring 
as it does so strongly of the doctrine 
of passive obedience, we leave it to the 
reader to estimate according to its 
worth; but we believe a much more 
correct view of the reason of Sam- 
son's 'seeking an occasion against 
the Philistines is given in a prece- 
ding note. If a general movement 
had been made by the Israelites for 
the assertion of their liberties, an 
equally 'general attempt to crush it 
would of course have been made on 
the other side. But God designed 
that Samson personally should be the 
butt of the enemies' wrath and machi- 
nations, that he might display his 
own glory in conquering them by the 
might of a single arm. 

5. Then went Samson doion, and 
his father and his mother. Having 
changed their minds; having yielded 
to the evidence that he was under a 



6 And h the Spirit of the Lord 
came mightily upon him, and he 
rent him as he would have rent 



'hch. 3. 10. & 13. 25. 



divine prompting in the measure 
proposed. IT Behold a young lion 
roared against him. Heb. ' behold, a 
young lion of the lionesses roaring in 
his meeting.' From v. 6 it is obvi- 
ous that his parents were not with 
him when this remarkable incident 
occurred. ' He was all alone in the 
vineyards, whither he had rambled 
from his father and mother (who 
kept the high road) probably to eat 
grapes. Children consider not that 
they expose themselves to the roaring 
lion that seeks to devour, when, out 
of a foolish fondness for liberty, they 
wander from under the eye of their 
prudent, pious parents. Nor do 
young people consider what lions 
lurk in the vineyards, the vineyards 
of red wine, as dangerous as snakes 
under the green grass.' — Henry. It 
is to be observed that 'young lion' 
does not here mean a whelp, for 
which the Hebrews has quite a dif- 
ferent word, but a young lion arrived 
at its full strength and size, when it 
is far more fierce than at a later pe- 
riod. It is evident from this and 
other passages of Scripture, that 
lions formerly existed in Judea. 
We do not know that they are now 
to be met with in that country; but 
this is not surprising, as numerous 
instances might be cited of the dis- 
appearance of wild animals, in the 
course of time, from countries where 
they were once well known. 

6. The Spirit of the Lord came 
mightily upon him. Well rendered 
from the original, which is in nu- 
merous instances employed to sig- 
nify a supernatural influence raising 
the bodily or mental powers to an 
unwonted pitch of energy, clothing 
one with courage, fortitude, skill, 
wisdom, and strength, and enabling 
him to perform achievments to 
which his unassisted powers would 
be entirely unequal. The expression 
seems to denote an occasional illapse 



340 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1141. 



a kid, and he had nothing in his 
hand : but he told not his father 
or his mother what he had done. 
7 And he went down, and 
talked with the woman ; and she 
pleased Samson well. 

of this kind of influence, and it may 
be doubted whether even Samson 
was able ordinarily to display these 
prodigies of valor and prowess which 
he from time to time put forth, 
though perhaps habitually a stronger 
man than others. IT Told not his 
father or his mother. An instance of 
singular discretion, modesty, and 
self-control, view it in whatever 
light we may. How few people are 
there in the world, who, if they had 
performed such an exploit as this, 
would have suffered it to remain hid 
from their dearest friends. But the 
presumption is, that before this Sam- 
son himself was not fully aware of 
the extent to which ' the power of 
the Highest rested on him,' and with- 
out a distinct foresight of the events 
that followed, he may still have con- 
cluded that to divulge the possession 
of such astonishing strength would 
be likely to defeat the ends to which 
it might be applied. He would not 
therefore betray so important a se- 
cret, — not even to his own parents, 
lest a premature disclosure, by put- 
ting his enemies on their guard, 
should render the endowment com- 
paratively useless. 

7. And talked with the woman. 
Rather according to the Heb. ^S^Pi 
«T£&b ' talked concerning the woman.' 
Marriages in the East from the earli- 
est periods have always been arran- 
ged by parents in behalf of their 
children. It was doubtless so in the 
present case. Indeed for what other 
purpose did his parents go down'? 
According to the letter, indeed, the 
talking is referred to Samson, and 
he undoubtedly had a voice in it, but 
not, we imagine, to the exclusion of 
his father and mother. The whole 
three negotiated the matter with the 
parents of the young woman. 



8 IT And after a time he re- 
turned to take her, and he turn- 
ed aside to see the carcass of the 
lion : and behold, there was a 
swarm of bees and honey in the 
carcass of the lion. 



8. After a time he returned to take 
her. An interval of some time, usu- 
ally ten or twelve months, elapsed 
between the ceremony of espousals 
and the marriage. During this time 
the betrothed bride remained with 
her parents, that she might provide 
herself with nuptial ornaments suit- 
able to her station ; after which the 
bride-groom came to fetch her home 
and take her fully as his w ife. The 
Jews still keep up this custom ; the 
parties being betrothed at least six or 
twelve months before marriage. 
During this interval, oriental usage 
appears to have allowed to the par- 
ties but slight communication with 
each other. Yet what little inter- 
course they had at all previous to 
marriage seems to have been restrict- 
ed to this term. For ' in point of 
fact we apprehend,' says the editor 
of the Pictorial Bible, 'that the be- 
trothed was considered necessary to 
enable a young man to pay to a wo- 
man even that limited degree of par- 
ticular attention which eastern man- 
ners allowed.' This suggestion still 
further confirms the idea advanced 
above respecting the ' talking' there 
alluded to. It is quite improbable 
that it should have taken place be- 
tween Samson and the young woman 
herself. The kind of intimacy ex- 
pressed by the word ' courtship,' and 
so familiar to European manners, 
appears to have been from remote 
antiquity entirely unknown in the 
East. IT Turned aside to see the 
carcass of the lion. Heb. c the ruins, 
the fallen heap.' ( "Whilst Samson 
concealed the event from others, he 
pondered it in himself; and when he 
returned to Timnath, went out of the 
way to see his dead adversary, and 
could not but recall to himself his 
danger and deliverance ; ' Here the 



A. C. 1141.] 

9 And he took thereof in his 
hands, and went on eating, and 
came to his father and mother, 
and he gave them, and they 
did eat : but he told not them 
that he had taken the honey 

beast met me; thus he fought; thus 
I slew him!' The very dead lion 
taught Samson thankfulness. The 
mercies of God are ill bestowed upon 
us, if we cannot step aside to view 
the monuments of his deliverances. 
As Samson had not found his honey- 
comb, if he had not turned aside to 
see his lion, so we shall lose the 
comfort of God's benefits, if we do 
not renew our perils by meditation.' 
JBp. Hall. IT A swarm of bees and 
honey in the carcass. In one respect 
the preceding note is strikingly con- 
firmed by the present text. It is evi- 
dent that several months must have 
elapsed between the first and second 
visit to Timnath, in order to allow 
time for the carcass of the lion to be- 
come reduced to a dry naked skele- 
ton. The cleanly habits of bees, and 
their repugnance to impure smells 
"would not otherwise have permitted 
them to select it as a habitation. 
The beautiful episode in the fourth 
Georgic of Virgil proves that the an- 
cients believed that bees might be en- 
gendered in the dead body of an ox. 
9. And he took thereof in Ms hands. 
Heb. *\r^^from n"?n to subdue, a 
very peculiar term to be applied to 
the act of taking' a quantity of honey 
from its place of deposit, be that what 
it might. The most common He- 
brew word for ' take' is npb, and if 
nothing more is meant in the present 
case than the simple act so denomi- 
nated, why is not the usual term em- 
ployed 1 We adopt the suggestion of 
Schmid in reply, that a word was 
purposely chosen which should im- 
ply some resistance and difficulty in 
getting possession of the prize; that 
it was not without an encounter, and 
a species of subjugation, that he suc- 
ceeded in wresting the honey from 
&e bees; such at any rate is the im- 



CHAPTER XIV. 



341 



out of the carcass of the lion. 

10 H So his father went down 
unto the woman : and Samson 
made there a feast ; for so used 
the young men to do. 

11 And it came to pass, when 



port of the word, whatever be the 
reason of its use. 

10. His father went down unto the 
woman. Rendered by the Chal. 
1 went down relative to the affair of 
the woman;' a sense of the words 
decidedly approved by the Jewish 
critic David Kimchi. From the 
connexion it appears moreover quite 
evident that Samson's father here is 
not to be understood exclusive of 
Samson himself. The probability 
is, that both his father and mother 
and a company of friends attended 
him on the occasion, but the father 
alone, as the natural head of the 
party, is mentioned. Compare with 
this the note on v. 7. U And Sam- 
son made there a feast. A wedding 
feast, such as is customary all over 
the East, as well as in most other 
countries, during which every spe- 
cies of merriment prevails. This 
nuptial festivity used to continue 
seven days, as we see from v. 19 
compared with Gen. 29. 27. After 
this the bride was brought home by, 
or to her husband. We must under- 
stand probably, in conformity with 
existing usages in the East, that 
Samson made his feast at the house 
of some acquaintance, or in one hired 
for the occasion, as his own house 
was distant ; while at the same time 
the woman entertained her female 
friends and relatives at her father's 
house. The different sexes never 
feasted together on these or any other 
occasions, and the bride and bride- 
groom did not even give their respec- 
tive entertainments in the same 
house, unless under very peculiar 
circumstances. In reading this nar- 
rative we must not forget that Sam- 
son was a mere sojourner at Tim- 
nath. IT So used the young men to 
do. ( I do not hear Samson plead his 



342 



JUDGES. 



they saw him, that they brought 
thirty companions to be with him. 
12 .IT And Samson said unto 
them, I will now *put forth a 
riddle unto you : if ye can cer- 
tainly declare it me k within the 
seven days of the feast, and find 
it out, then I will give you thirty 

i 1 Kings 10. 1. Ez. 17. 2. Luke 14. 7. k Gen. 
29. '27. 

Nazaritism for a color of singularity ; 
it is both lawful and fit, in things not 
prohibited, to conform ourselves to 
the manners and rites of those with 
whom we live.' God never misliked 
moderate solemnities (festivities) in 
the severest life.' Bp. Hall. 

11. It came to pass when they saw 
Mm. That is, when they (the citi- 
zens) observed or considered him, 
when they noted his stature, form, 
countenance and bearing. IT They 
brought thirty companions to be with 
Aim. A class of persons called else- 
where in the Scriptures ' friends of 
the bridegroom' or ' children of the 
bride-chamber,' Mat. 9. 15, John. 3. 
29. Although these companions 
were brought to him with a shoiv of 
paying him respect and honor in con- 
formity to custom, yet it was un- 
doubtedly with the secret purpose of 
stationing spies about his person. 
A remarkable something in his ex- 
ternal appearance told them that he 
was a man to be watched ; and jeal- 
ous as they now were of him, they 
would have been still more so, had 
they known of his exploit in killing 
the lion, which he had industriously 
kept from them. ' The favors of 
Philistines have often some mischief 
or other designed in them.' Henry. 

12. / will now put forth a riddle 
unto you. It was a very ancient cus- 
tom among different nations to re- 
lieve their entertainments by propo- 
sing difficult and obscure questions, 
to the solution of which a reward 
was usually annexed, while a pro- 
portionate forfeiture was the conse- 
quence of a failure. They were 
particularly common among the 



[A. C. 1141. 

thirty ichange of 



sheets and 
garments : 

13 But if ye cannot declare 
it me, then shall ye give me 
thirty sheets and thirty change 
of garments. And they said 
unto him, Put forth thy riddle, 
that we may hear it. 

1 Gen. 45. 22. 2 Kings 5. 22. 



Greeks, who were accustomed to call 
riddles contrived to puzzle and per- 
plex by, the name of ' banquet- rid- 
dles,' or ' cup-questions.' Devices 
of this sort were especially necessary 
for amusement and pastime in a fes- 
tival of seven days' continuance like 
the present. IT Thirty sheets and 
thirty change of garments. The 
original word fc*vj*HD se dinim, from 
which comes the Greek Lti/<W, Sin- 
don, fine linen, probably denotes a 
kind of body linen, more like our 
shirts than sheets. ' It cannot easily 
be imagined they were what we call 
sheets, for Samson might have slain 
thirty Philistines near Askelon, and 
not have found one sheet ; or if he 
slew them who were carrying their 
beds with them on their travels, as 
they often do in present times, the 
slaughter of fifteen had been suffi- 
cient, for in the East, as in other 
countries, every bed is provided with 
two sheets ; but he slew just thirty, in 
order to obtain thirty sedinim, or 
shirts. If this meaning of the term 
be admitted, the deed of Samson 
must have been very provoking to 
the Philistines; for since only peo- 
ple of more easy circumstances wore 
shirts, they were not thirty of the 
common people that he slew, but 
thirty persons of figure and conse- 
quence. The same word is used by 
the prophet Isaiah, in his description 
of the splendid and costly dress in 
which people of rank and fashion 
then delighted, rendered in our trans- 
lation fine linen ; which seems to 
place it beyond a doubt that they 
were persons of rank that fell by 
the hand of Samson on that occa- 



A, C. 1141.] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



343 



14 And he said unto them, 
Out of the eater came forth 
meat, and out of the strong came 
forth sweetness. And they could 
not in three days expound the 
riddle. 

15 And it came to pass on the 
seventh day, that they said un- 
to Samson's wife, m Entice thy 

xn ch. 16. 5. 



sion.' Paxton. By the' thirty change 
of garments' is probably to be under- 
stood the upper vestments or tunics 
common in the East usually called 
caftans, and answering nearly to our 
cloaks. The idea of the passage 
seems to be, that Samson offered 
thirty dresses, which there is reason 
to suppose consisted only of a shirt 
and upper garment. 

14. Out of the eater came forth 
meat, &c. "Or, Heb. ' came Yorth 
food.' The antithesis in the first 
clause is sufficiently obvious, viz. 
that an all-devouring creature, con- 
trary to what might naturally be ex- 
pected, should afford food to others. 
But » r in the second, it is less plain ; 
for the opposite of strength is not 
sweetness, but weakness. If it had 
been, ' Out of the sharp or bitter 
came forth sweetness,' the opposition 
would have been perfect. Bochart, 
however, has very plausibly shown 
that the original for bitter is occa- 
sionally used for strong, and sharp 
for both. So in the Arabic, Mirra, 
strength, and Marir, strong, robust, 
come from the root Marra, which 
signifies to be bitter. Thus too in the 
Latin, Acer, sharp, applied to a man 
denotes one who is valiant, who 
eagerly engages his enemy; and 
what is worthy of notice, this very 
term is employed by Ovid as an epi- 
thet for lions ; — ' Genus acre leo- 
num,' the sharp or fierce kind of 
lions.' The true antithesis of the 
riddle, therefore, may be stated thus : 
— ' Food came from the devourer, 
and sweetness from that which is 
sharp? i. e. eager, fierce, violent. 
The Syr. and Arab, both render the 



husband, that he may declare 
unto us the riddle, n lest we burn 
thee and thy father's house with 
fire : have ye called us to take 
what we have ? is it not so ? 

16 And Samson's wife wept 
before him and said, °Thou doest 
but hate me, and lovest me not : 
thou hast put forth a riddle unto 



original by bitter instead of strong, 
and some copies of the Gr. Sept. in- 
stead of airo loxvpov from the strong, 
exhibit the reading airo mKpovfroyn the 
bitter. Josephus gives the enigma 
in this form, f A great devourer pro- 
duced sweet food out of itself, though 
itself was very disagreeable.' Pro- 
bably to a Hebrew ear, when the rid- 
dle was found out, the terms would 
be as expressive and suitable as any 
that could have been chosen. This 
enigma, though soluble, was one 
well calculated to task their ingenu- 
ity to the utmost, notwithstanding 
Henry's remark, that ' if they had 
but so much sense as to consider 
what eater is most strong, and what 
meat is most sweet, they would have 
found £out the riddle : and neither 
lions nor honey were such strangers 
to their country, that the thoughts of 
them needed to be out of their way.' 
But the point was, not to conceive of 
these objects separately, but in a pe- 
culiar relation to each other, and the 
difficulty of this arose from the fact 
that they would naturally conceive 
of the eater as still alive, It was, 
however, well adapted to the purpose 
for which Providence designed it 
should be overruled. 

15. On the seventh day. That is, 
of the week, being the fourth of the 
feast, as appears from comparing 
v. 14 and 17. IT Have ye called us 
to take that we have ? Have ye in- 
vited us to the feast for the purpose 
of impoverishing us by taking away 
what we have ? 

16. Wept before him. Heb. 'wept 
upon him. 5 The sequel showed, 
however, that they were crocodile 



344 



JUDGES. 



\A. C. 114L 



the children of my people, and 
hast not told it me. And he 
said unto her, Behold, I have not 
told it my father nor my mother, 
and shall I tell it thee? 

17 And she wept before him 
the seven days, while their feast 
lasted ; and it came to pass on 
the seventh day, that he told 
her, because she lay sore upon 
him : and she told the riddle to 
the children of her people. 



tears which she shed on this occa- 
sion. IT I have not told it to my fa- 
ther, nor my mother. Though I have 
had more experience of their fidelity, 
and more reason to trust their taci- 
turnity than in thine. ' In all parts 
of the world, I believe, people are 
pretty much alike, as to their capa- 
bility of keeping secrets. The Hin- 
doos, however, improperly reflect 
upon the female sex in their proverb, 
1 To a woman tell not a secret? That 
secret must be great indeed which 
will prevent a son or daughter from 
telling it to the father or mother. 
The greatest proof of confidence is 
to say, { I have told you what I have 
not revealed to my father.' In proof 
of the great affection one has for an- 
other, it is said, ' He has told things 
to him that he would not have relat- 
ed to his parents.' ' My friend, do 
tell me the secret/ — c Tell you 1 yes, 
when I have told my parents.' Ro- 
berts, tf The seven days. That is, 
the rest of the seven days. IT Lay 
sore upon him. Rather, Heb. ' strong- 
ly urged, solicited, or pressed him.' 
Tf She told the riddle. The meaning 
of the riddle. When we trust a 
secret out of our own breast, we 
must not expect it will long continue 
such. It was not the mark of a wise 
man in Samson to suppose that an- 
other would be more faithful to him 
than he was to himself. 

18. What is sweeter than honey? 
what is stronger than a lion ? This 
must be understood merely as a com- 



18 And the men of the city 
said unto him on the seventh 
day before the sun went down, 
What is sweeter than honey? 
and what is stronger than a 
lion ? And he said unto them, 
If ye had not ploughed with my 
heifer, ye had not found out my 
riddle. 

19 IT And Pthe Spirit of the 
Lord came upon him, and he 
went down to Askelon, and slew 

p ch. 3. 10. & 13. 25. 

pend of the solution of the riddle , 
for it was not simply the two distinct 
objects, the lion and the honey, which 
constituted its point, but the ' coming 
out' of the one from the other, and 
unless the manner of this was stated, 
we do not see how the riddle could 
properly be considered as solved. 



ro P' 

v 



IT If ye had not ploughed with my 
heifer, &c. A proverbial expression, 
intimating that the Philistines could 
not have obtained the solution of the 
riddle without availing themselves 
of the assistance of his wife. Sam- 
son might justly have disputed the 
point with Ihem, inasmuch as they 
did not find out the riddle themselves, 
but gained the knowledge of it by 
treachery ; nevertheless he generous- 
ly determined to abide by the forfeit. 
19. The Spirit of the Lord came 
upon him. See on v. 6. IT Went 
down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men 
of them, &c. Ashkelon was a city 
possessed at this time by the Philis- 
tines, and one of their five lordships, 
though it had previously been taken 
and for some time held by Judah, 
ch. 1. 18. It was situated fifteen 
miles north of Gaza, nine north of 
Ashdod, and about forty west from 
Jerusalem. The divine predictions 
respecting it have been so literally 
fulfilled, that there is not, says 
Richardson, an inhabitant within its 
walls ; its lofty towers lie scattered 
on the ground, and the ruins within 
its walls do not shelter a human be- 
ing. Samson's going to this distant 



A. C. 1141.] 



CHAPTER XIV. 



345 



thirty men of them, and took 
their spoil, and gave change 
of garments unto them which 
expounded the riddle. And his 
anger was kindled, and he 



city and taking the lives of thirty of 
its inhabitants can only be justified 
on the general ground of his being 
raised up to be a judge and deliverer 
of his people, and to avenge their 
Philistine oppressors. The inference 
is reasonable, that the Spirit of the 
Lord came upon him not only to 
enable, but also to authorise him to 
perform the deed here mentioned 
1 It is just with God to destine what 
enemies he pleases to execution. It 
is not to be inquired, why this man 
is stricken rather than another, when 
both are Philistines.' Bp. Hall. IT 
Took their spoil. Their apparel ; 
the garments which they had on, 
and of which he stripped their dead 
bodies. Express mention, it is true, 
is not here made of the sheets or 
shirts, but they are evidently implied 
from v. 13. The Jewish critics 
make it a question how Samson, 
being a Nazarite, and consequently 
forbidden to touch a dead body, Num. 
6. 6, could, without pollution, have 
possessed himself of the raiment of 
these slain Philistines. The ques- 
tion is one of no great moment, as 
the facts in the case force us to the 
conclusion, either that this prohibi- 
tion was binding only upon the tem- 
porary, and not upon the perpetual 
Nazarites, or that God through his 
Spirit acting in and by Samson, 
granted him a dispensation in this 
particular; as the same authority 
which binds has power also to loose, 
in regard to ceremonial observances. 
IT His anger was kindled. Against 
his perfidious wife and his thirty 
companions, whose treatment of him 
had been so treacherous and unprin- 
cipled. IF He went up to his fa- 
ther's house. Abandoning for the 
present his new-married wife, but 
not, we think, with the design of 
a permanent desertion. It was 
probably with a view, in a mild way, 
30 



went up to his father's house. 
20 But Samson's wife ^was 
given to his companion, whom, 
he had used as r his friend. 

qch. 15. 2. r John 3. 29. 

to signify his displeasure at her re- 
cent conduct, and to bring her to the 
expression of a suitable regret. The 
result, however, was different from 
what he anticipated. 

20. Samson's wife was given to 
his companion, &c. Heb. 'became to 
his companion.' The consent and 
agency of her parents in this dispo- 
sal of her are not expressed but im- 
plied. It is probable that they were 
by this time, on further acquaintance 
with Samson, quite willing to have 
the connection broken up, and to be 
rid of one whose intimate relation to 
them augured no good, and accord- 
ingly seized the colorable pretence 
of his temporary withdrawment to 
make the separation lasting. ' What 
pretence of friendship soever he 
make, a true Philistine will soon be 
weary of an Israelite.' Bp. Hall. 
TT Whom he had used as his friend. 
With whom he had been upon the 
most intimate terms. This person, 
technically termed the paranymph % 
was probably what is called in the 
New Testament the ' friend of the 
bridegroom.' He was a trusted 
friend, and charged with a peculiarly 
delicate and confidential office. He 
devoted himself for a time almost 
entirely to the affairs of the bride- 
groom ; before the day of marriage, 
he was usually the medium of com- 
munication between the bridegroom 
and the bride ; during the marriage 
festivity, he was in constant attend- 
ance, doing his best to promote the 
hilarity of the entertainments, and 
rejoicing in the happiness of his 
friend. Nor did his duties terminate 
with the completion of the marriage, 
but he was considered the patron 
and confidential friend of both par- 
ties, and was usually called in to 
compose any differences that might 
arise between them. Samson's 
friend must, as his paranymph, have 



346 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1140- 



CHAPTER XV. 
"OUT it came to pass within a 
•^ while after, in the time of 
wheat-harvest, that Samson visit- 
ed his wife with a kid ; and he 
said, I will go in to my wife into 
the chamber. But her father 
would not suffer him to go in. 

ii And her father said, I veri- 
ly thought that thou hadst utter- 
had peculiar facilities for forming 
an acquaintance with the woman, 
and of gaining her favorable notice ; 
and the treachery of one whom he 
had so largely trusted, must have 
been peculiarly distressing to him. 
Wrongs done by a friend wound the 
spirit more deeply than any others. 
1 It was thou my friend* says David. 

CHAPTER XV. 

1. In the time of ivheat harvest. 
Which in that country was in April 
and May. The time of the visit is 
specified in reference to the exploit 
subsequently mentioned, v. 4, 5. TT 
Visited his wife with a kid. Carry- 
ing a kid in token of reconciliation. 
Time had now cooled his resent- 
ments, and probably not knowing 
that she had meanwhile been given 
to another, he was willing to make 
the first overtures of returning ami- 
ty. ' The wisest, though offended, 
will be the first to seek peace, and 
the readiest to pass by a transgres- 
sion.' Haweis. IT He said, 1 will 
go in, &c. He said to himself; he 
proposed ; he formed the purpose. 
IT Into the chamber. Into the interior 
apartments appropriated to the wo- 
men ; the harem. 

2. I verily thought that thou hadst 
utterly hated her. Heb. ' saying, I said, 
that thou,' &c. I said in my heart, I 
certainly concluded. The excuse was 
very frivolous, for it does not appear 
that Samson was long absent, and at 
any rate, he had no right to bestow 
her again in marriage without first 
apprising him of his intention k 
The act of repudiation in the East 



ly a hated her ; therefore I gave 
her to thy companion : is not 
her younger sister fairer than 
she ? take her, I pray thee, in- 
stead of her. 

8 1TAnd Samson said concern, 
ing them, Now shall I be more 
blameless than the Philistines, 
though I do them a displeasure. 

4 And Samson went and 



was always supposed to originate 
with the husband and not with the 
wife. IT Is not her younger sister 
fairer than she ? Heb. ' better than 
she.' Words expressive of moral 
qualities are in Hebrew and other 
languages, frequently applied to per- 
sonal endowments. Thus in English 
we have ' good-looking ; for hand- 
some. IT Take her. Heb. 'let her 
be to thee.' Thus, in fact, proposing 
what would have been to Samson an 
incestuous marriage, Lev. 18. 18, 
however the Philistines regarded it. 

3. Samson said concerning them. 
Said to himself. It is very improb- 
able that he would have announced 
verbally to any one the purpose 
which he had now conceived in his 
mind. In forming this resolution, 
he acted rather in a public than a 
private capacity. Had he aimed to 
avenge only his personal injuries, it 
would have been sufficient to have 
chastised his rival and his father-in- 
law only: but as the slight which 
excited his indignation had no doubt 
been put upon him because he was 
an Israelite, he determines as an Is- 
raelite to seek revenge. He had 
done what was proper in endeavor- 
ing by a present to effect a reconcili- 
ation with his wife, but as his over- 
tures had been repulsed, no one could 
blame him if he now showed his just 
resentments. When we have done 
our best to prevent a quarrel, we 
cannot be charged with the conse- 
quences of it. 

4. Went and caught three hundred 
foxes. Not that he did this in one 
day, or that he did it alone. In the 



A. C. 1140.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



347 



caught three hundred foxes, and 
took fire-brands, and turned tail 
to tail, and put a fire-brand in 
the midst between two tails. 

Scripture idiom, a person is continu- 
ally described as doing that which 
he orders to be done, and no doubt 
such a person as Samson could easi- 
ly command whatever assistance he 
required. Nor is it to be supposed 
that the scene of devastation was 
confined to one particular place. 
From the subsequent narrative it 
would appear that the destruction of 
the cornfields extended widely over 
the territories of the Philistines. 
Comp. v. 6. As to the kind of ani- 
mal employed on this occasion, there 
has been no small controversy 
among expositors. The Heb. word 
fc^b^lE Shualim, is now generally 
agreed to have included in its mean- 
ing not only ■ foxes,' but also 'jack- 
als,' an animal rightly described as 
something between the wolf and the 
fox, and hence sometimes termed by 
naturalists l the wolf-fox.' These 
animals, which were very numerous 
in Palestine, associate together in 
large herds or packs, sometimes to 
the amount of two or three hundred ; 
differing in this respect from the fox, 
which is not gregarious, and is far 
more cunning. Like foxes, however, 
they live in holes, which they form 
under ground, and they are particul- 
arly prone to resort to ruined towns, 
not only because they there find nu- 
merous secure retreats ready made, 
but because the same facilities at- 
tract to such places other animals, 
on whose dead bodies they prey. 
From this circumstance, the pro- 
phets in describing the future desola- 
tion of a city, say it shall become 
' the habitation of jackals,' a predic- 
diction verified by the actual condi- 
tion of many places to which tbeir 
prophecies apply. Thus it is said by 
travellers that the ruins of Ascalon 
in particular afford habitation to 
great numbers of these animals. 
The howlings of these packs of jack- 
ajs are frightful, and give great 



5 And when he had set the 
brands on fire, he let them go 
into the standing corn of the 
Philistines, and burnt up both 



alarm to travellers ; whence they 
are also called in Heb. d^& Ayim, 
howlers, improperly rendered ' wild 
beasts of the islands.' Is. 13. 22. 
Jer. 2. 39. But it appears that the 
common fox is also of frequent oc- 
currence in Palestine, and as both 
are included under the common 
term Shual, it must generally be left 
to the bearing of the context to deter- 
mine when the jackal and when the 
fox are respectively denoted. That 
the jackal is intended in the text 
now before us, we may infer from 
the number of animals taken by 
Samson, which must have been 
easier with creatures prowling in 
large droves, than with a solitary 
and very wily animal like the fox. 
IT Took firebrands. Rather, Heb. 
D'H&b torches. & firebrand, in such 
a position, if sufficiently ignited to 
kindle a blaze in the shocks of corn, 
would soon have burnt itself free 
from the tails of the foxes, or have 
been extinguished by being drawn 
over the ground. A torch or flam- 
beau, on the other hand, made of re- 
sinous wood or artificial materials, 
being more tenacious of flame, would 
have answered a far better purpose ; 
and such is the legitimate import of 
the original. HAnd turned tail to 
tail. This was doubtless intended 
to prevent them from making too 
rapid a retreat to their holes, or, in- 
deed, from going to their holes at 
all. They were probably not so tied 
that they should pull in different di- 
rections, but that they might run de- 
viously and slowly, side by side, and 
so do the more effectual execution. 
Had he put a torch to the tail of 
each, the creature, naturally terrified 
at fire, would instantly have betaken 
itself to its hole or some place of re- 
treat, and thus the design of Samson 
would have been wholly frustrated. 
But by tying two of them together 
by the tail they would frequently 



348 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 114a 



the shocks, and also the stand- 
ing corn, with the vineyards and 
olives. 

6 IF Then the Philistines said, 
Who hath done this ? And they 
answered, Samson, the son-in- 
law of the Timnite, because he 
had taken his wife, and given 
her to his companion. b And 
the Philistines came up, and 



thwart each other in running, and 
thus cause the greater devastation. 
If it be asked why Samson resorted 
to such an expedient at all, instead 
of firing the cornfields with his own 
hand, which would have been a 
much simpler and easier method of 
compassing his object, we may say 
perhaps in reply, that by the mean- 
ness and weakness of the instru- 
ments employed he designed to put 
a more signal contempt upon the 
enemies with whom he contended, 
thus mingling ridicule with revenge. 
6. And they ansivered t &e. ' The 
mention of the offence draws in (that 
of) the provocation; and now the 
wrong to Samson is scanned and re- 
venged; because the fields of the 
Philistines are burned for the wrong 
done to Samson by the Timnite in his 
daughter, therefore the Philistines 
burn the Timnite and his daughter. 
The tying of the firebrand, between 
two foxes was not so witty a policy, as 
the setting of a fire of dissension be- 
twixt the Philistines.' Bp. Hall. IT 
Burnt her and her father with fire. A 
most inhuman and barbarous act, on 
the part of its perpetrators, yet won- 
derfully overruled in the Providence 
of God to chastise the guilty. The 
Philistines had threatened Samson's 
wife that if she did not obtain and dis- 
close her husband's secret, they would 
burn her and her father's house with 
fire. She, to save herself and oblige 
her countrymen, betrayed her hus- 
band ; and now by so doing brought 
upon herself the very doom which 
she so studiously sought to avoid! 



burnt her and her father with 
fire. 

7 IT And Samson said unto 
them, Though ye have done this, 
yet will I be avenged of you, 
and after that I will cease. 

8 And he smote them hip and 
thigh with a great slaughter. 
And he went down and dwelt 
in the top of the rock Etam. 



To seek to escape suffering by sin, 
is the surest way to bring it upon us V 
1 The fear of the wicked, it shall 
come upon him.' 

7. Though ye have done this, &c. 
Though you have thought by this 
act of cruelty to my wife and kin- 
dred, to make amends for the injury 
done to me, yet flatter not yourselves- 
that I am thereby appeased, and that 
I shall forbear* farther hostilities. 
He doubtless saw that his wife and 
her family were victims to a hasty 
indignation occasioned by their own* 
losses, rather than the "subjects of 
a righteous and well-considered re- 
tribution, and that accordingly there 
was no reason for him, as a public 
judge called and appointed of God 
to deliver his country from oppres- 
sion, to cease to prosecute that work. 

8. Smote them hip and thigh. Heb. 
1 smote them leg upon thigh.' Ap- 
parently a proverbial expression, 
implying, according to Gesenius, 
that he cut them in pieces, so that 
their limbs, their legs and thighs, 
were scattered and heaped promis- 
cuously together ; equivalent to say- 
ing, that he totally destroyed them. 
Whether this be the genuine inter- 
pretation admits of some doubt, but 
as we have nothing more plausible 
to propose, it is left to the readers's 
judgment, as one of the cases where 
entire satisfaction as to the writer's 
meaning, is unattainable. That a 
signal overthrow and a great slaugh- 
ter is intended, seems to be unques- 
tionable. IF Dwelt in Ike top of the 
rock Etam % Rather, according to 



A- C. 1140.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



349 



9 V Then the Philistines went 
up, and pitched in Judah, and 
spread themselves c in Lehi. 

10 And the men of Judah said, 
Why are ye come up against 
us ? And they answered, To 
bind Samson are we come up, 
to do to him as he hath done to 
us. 

11 Then three thousand men 
of Judah went to the top of the 

c ver. 19. 



the Heb. ' in a cleft, in a fissure of the 
rock.' Of the exact position of this 
place, or of Samson's motive in resort- 
ing thither, we are not informed. It 
was probably a natural fortress, afford- 
ing peculiar advantages for defence, 
of which Samson no doubt foresaw, 
that he would soon be in need of avail- 
ing himself. Their recent defeat 
would naturally rouse the wrath of 
his enemies and bring them upon 
him in all their force. It seems al- 
together likely from his words in 
the concluding part of v. 7, that he 
had accomplished his present pur- 
poses of revenge, and designed no 
farther annoyance to the Philis- 
tines unless provoked to it by new 
aggressions on their part. If they 
then will rouse the sleeping lion, let 
them expect to pay dear for their 
temerity. 

9. Pitched in Judah and spread 
themselves in Lehi. Etam, the strong 
hold, to which Samson had now 
betaken himself was in the tribe of 
Judah, and the Philistines probably 
intended by suddenly appearing with 
a large army in their borders to in- 
timidate that tribe, and make them 
subservient to their design of cap- 
turing Samson. ' Lehi' is so called 
here by anticipation, as it received 
that name from the slaughter with 
the jaw-bone, which had not yet 
taken place. 

10. To bind Samson are we come 
up, &c. From the sequel it would 
appear that their answer included 
also a demand upon the men of Judah 

30* 



rock Etam, and said to Samson 
Knowest thou not that the Phil- 
istines are d rulers over us? what 
is this that thou has done unto 
us ? And he said unto them, 
As they did unto me, so have I 
done unto them, 

12 And they said unto him, 
We are come down to bind thee, 
that we may deliver thee into 
the hand of the Philistines. And 



for their services and co-operation 
in making a prisoner of Samson. 

11. Knowest thou not that the Phil- 
istines are rulers over us. A most 
degrading confession to come from 
the lips of an Israelite, and plainly 
showing that they had become con- 
tented slaves, more fearful of offend- 
ing the Philistines than anxious to 
assert their independence. But their 
spirits were broken by the base 
bondage which their iniquities had 
brought upon them, and instead of 
bravely setting Samson at their 
head to fight for their liberty, they 
meanly resolve to make a sacrifice 
of him to his enemies ! preferring 
ignominious servitude to a generous 
struggle for their country. Instead 
of honoring him for his courage, 
they blame him for his rashness, 
and desire him peaceably to submit 
to their bonds ! IT Swear unto me, 
that ye icill not fall upon me your- 
selves. Though he had abundant 
occasion to expostulate with them 
on account of their ingratitude, and 
to upbraid them with their cowardice 
and infatuation, yet he generously 
forbears reproaches and merely de- 
mands assurance that he should re- 
ceive no harm at their hands. He 
does not make this stipulation for 
fear of them, for he could as easily 
have freed himself from the hands 
of his brethren as from those of the 
Philistines, but he would avoid the 
necessity of acting towards them as 
enemies. His motive for consenting 
thus readily to be bound and deliver- 



350 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1140. 



Samson said unto them, Swear 
unto me, that ye will not fall 
upon me yourselves. 

13 And they spake unto him, 
saying, No ; but we will bind 
thee fast, and deliver thee into 
their hand : but surely we will 
not kill thee. And they bound 
him with two new cords, and 
brought him up from the rock. 

14 IT And when he came unto 
Lehi, the Philistines shouted 
against him : and e the Spirit of 
the Lord came mightily upon 



e ch. 3. 10. & 14. 6. 



ed up to the Philistines undoubtedly 
was, that he knew the issue of it 
would be to afford him a new occa- 
sion of inflicting vengeance upon 
that oppressive race. ; Samson 
abides to be tied by his own country- 
men, that he may have the glory of 
freeing himself victoriously. Even 
so, O Saviour, our better Nazarite, 
thou, which couldst have called to 
thy father, and have had twelve le- 
gions of angels for thy rescue, 
wouldst be bound voluntarily that 
thou mightest triumph! So the 
blessed martyrs were racked and 
would not be loosed, because they 
expected a better resurrection. If 
we be not as well ready to suffer ill. 
as to do good, we are not fit for the 
consecration of God.' Bp. Hall. 

13. Brought him up from the rock. 
From the cleft or cave of the rock 
in which he had taken shelter. See 
on v. 8. From hence he was brought 
to Lehi, where the Philistines had 
pitched their camp. 

14. Became as flax that was burnt. 
A flaxen or hempen cord that has 
been burnt in the fire will still re- 
tain its form when taken out, but it 
has no strength ; it is henceforth a 
mere cinder and falls to pieces at the 
slightest touch. Such, in point of 
weakness, were the cords with which 
Samson was now bound. In the 
ensuing clause, 'his bands loosed 



him, and the cords that were up- 
on his arms became as flax that 
was burnt with fire, and his 
bands loosed from off his hands. 

15 And he found a new jaw- 
bone of an ass, and put forth his 
hand, and took it, and f slew a 
thousand men therewith. 

16 And Samson said, With 
the jaw-bone of an ass heaps 
upon heaps, with the jaw of an 
ass have I slain a thousand 
men. 

17 And it came to pass when 

f ch. 3. 31. Lev. 26. 8. Josh. 23. 10. 

(Heb. melted),' the figure is varied 
and the bands represented as flowing 
off his limbs like a liquid substance. 

15. Found a new jaw-bone of an 
ass. Heb. n*HT3 gv€en or moist, i. e. 
the jaw-bone of an ass recently dead. 
The bones of any animal in such a 
state, would not so easily break as 
when they had become dry. 

16. Heaps upon heaps. Heb 'an heap, 
two heaps.' The original contains 
a peculiar play upon the sound of the 
words which cannot be transferred 
into any other language. The same 
word in Hebrew ^nfcn chamor, sig- 
nifies both an ' ass' and a ' heap/ thus 
forming an elegant paranomasia, 
and representing the Philistines fall- 
ing as tamely as asses. Some have 
considered this short pean of Samson 
as faulty in not ascribing his victory 
more directly and unequivocally to 
God, who had enabled him to accom- 
plish it. The words it is true con- 
tain no express mention of the name 
of Jehovah, but it cannot, we think, 
be fairly inferred that the recogni- 
tion of the divine power was not 
present to his thoughts, or that he 
intended to ascribe the result to the 
prowess of his own arm. It is per- 
haps rather to be understood as an 
exclamation of grateful and adoring 
wonder, that he, who was in himself 
a poor, weak worm, should have 
been enabled with such a contemp- 



A. C. 1140.] 



CHAPTER XV. 



351 



he had made an end of speaking, 
that he cast away the jaw-bone 
out of his hand, and called that 
place Ratnath-lehi. 

18 IF And he was sore athirst, 
and called on the Lord, and 
said, sThou hast given this great 
deliverance into the hand of 
thy servant : and now shall I 
die for thirst, and fall into the 
hand of the uncircumcised ? 

g P 8 . 3. 7. 

tible instrument, to effect so signal 
an overthrow of his enemies. 

17. Called that place Ratnath-lehi. 
And by contraction ' Lehi ;' as was 
usual with proper names, as Salem 
for Jerusalem, Sheba for Beersheba, 
and many others. The exact im- 
port of the original ^nb Fifa") Ram- 
ath-lehi is not easily determined. It 
may mean either ' the casting away 
of the jaw-bone,' ' the lifting up of 
the jaw-bone,' or ' the hill of the jaw- 
bone.' The last is most consistent 
with grammatical structure, and 
unites in its support the suffrages of 
the greatest number of modern 
critics. 

19. God clave a hollow place. That 
is, so clave the ground or the rock 
as to make a hollow place. Thus Ps. 
74. 15, ' Thou didst cleave the foun- 
tain;' i. e. thou didst cleave the rock 
so as to cause a fountain to spring 
up in it. Thus Is. 47. 2, ' Take the 
millstones and grind meal;' i. e. 
grind corn into meal. Judg. 16. 30, 
' The dead which he slew at his 
death,' &c, i. e. those who became 
dead by his slaying them. The ori- 
ginal "for ' hollow T -place' elsewhere 
signifies a, mortar, and here denotes 
undoubtedly that a cavity was now 
made in the earth of the form of a 
mortar, on which account Horsely 
not unaptly renders it, ' clave a mor- 
tar-hole in Lehi.' 1\ That was in 
the jaw. An unfortunate rendering, 
as is now almost universally conced- 
ed. The writer undoubtedly meant 
to say, that God clave a hollow place 



19 But God clave a hollow 
place that was in the jaw, and 
there came water thereout ; and 
when he had drunk, h his spirit 
came again, and he revived. 
Wherefore he called the name 
thereof En-hakkore, which is in 
Lehi unto this day. 

20 And he judged Israel 'in 
the days of the Philistines twen- 
ty years. 



h Gen. 45. 27. Is. 40. 29. 



i ch. 13.1. 



which was in Lehi, and not in the 
jaw-bone. Indeed the propriety of 
this reading is evident from the con- 
text ; for if we have ' jaw' or 'jaw- 
bone' here, we ought to retain it in 
the concluding clause of this verse, 
and instead of saying, 'which is in 
Lehi unto this day, say, 'which is 
in the jaw-bone unto this day.' The 
fact that the Hebrew word for ' jaw- 
bone' and for ' Leai' is the same, and 
a fondness for multiplying miracles, 
probably led several of the ancient 
versions to understand Lehi here as 
denoting the jaw-bone of the ass 
rather than the place so called. TT 
His spirit came aiain. His strength 
and spirits, exhausted by the exces- 
sive fatigue of ths recent encounter, 
were effectually revived. IT He 
called the name thereof En-hakkore. 
That is, ' the fountain of him that 
called or prayed. 5 Geddes, ' invoca- 
tion-well.' Instead of 'he called,' 
the proper rendering undoubtedly is, 
' it was called,' i. e. this became its 
popular appellation, as it seems to 
have become henceforward a peren- 
nial spring. According to the dis- 
tinction of the Hebrew accents the 
whole clause is to be translated thus ; 
' And the name thereof was called 
unto this day En-hakkore, which is 
in Lehi.' 

20. Judged Israel in the days of the 
Philistines twenty years. His ad- 
ministration is supposed not to have 
been strictly universal or extended 
over the whole of Israel, but limited 
rather to the southwestern district of 



352 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1120. 



CHAPTER XVI. 
HPHEN went Samson to Gaza, 
"*" and saw there a harlot, and 
went in unto her. 



Palestine, where the oppression of the 
people was most severe. The phrase, 
' in the days of the Philistines,' is 
peculiar, implying the days or the 
period during which the Philistines 
had the upper hand of Israel; leav- 
ing us to infer that Samson's efforts 
did not avail entirely to crush, but 
only to restrain, limit and weaken 
the power of the oppressors. The 
Lord did not grant a full deliverance, 
because his people were not yet suf- 
ficiently chastised for their sins. 
Indeed it was not till the days of 
David that the Philistine yoke was 
completely shaken off. 2 Sam 3. 18. 
Of the adjustment of the period of 
twenty years here mentioned, see 
ch. 13. 1. 

CHAPTER XVI. 
1. Then went Samson to Gaza. 
This place was the capital and the 
most important of the five Philistine 
principalities, and was situated about 
fifteen miles south of Ascalon, sixty 
miles southwest from Jerusalem, and 
between two and three miles from 
the sea. It was a very ancient city, 
and is always spoken of in the Old 
Testament as a place of great impor- 
tance. In more modern times it has 
undergone a great variety of changes 
occasioned by the fortunes of war, 
till at present it has declined to a 
trading village of some three or four 
thousand inhabitants. It stands upon 
a hill of about two miles circumfer- 
ence at the base, surrounded by val- 
leys, and overlooking a prospect of 
much beauty. Environed by and in- 
terspersed with gardens and planta- 
tions of olive and date trees, the town 
has a picturesque appearance, to 
which its numerous elegant minarets 
not a little contribute. The build- 
ings being mostly of stone, and the 
streets moderately broad, the interior 
answers expectation 1 setter than most 



2 And it was told the Gazites, 
saying, Samson is come hither. 
And they a compassed him in, 
and laid wait for him all night 

a 1 Sam. 23. 26. Ps. 118. 10, 11, 12. Acts 9. 24. 



other towns of Syria/and affords ac- 
commodations far superior to most 
places in Egypt. The suburbs, how- 
ever, are composed of miserable mud 
huts ; but all travellers concur with 
Sandys in admiring the variety and 
richness of the vegetable productions, 
both wild and cultivated, of the en- 
virons. The inhabitants have man- 
ufactures of cotton and soap, but de- 
rive their principal support from the 
commerce between Egypt and Syria, 
which must alt pass this way. 
Scarcely any of its ancient remains 
are now to be found. Those of 
which travellers gave an account a 
century or two ago, have nearly all 
disappeared. — The real motive by 
which Samson was prompted in this 
visit to Gaza, it is in vain to attempt 
to discover. We can scarcely, how- 
ever from the sequel resist the im- 
pression that his spiritual affections 
had suffered a serious decline, that 
he had relaxed the vigilance and cir- 
cumspection of his walk as a Naza- 
rite, and that he ventured uncalled 
among the uncircumcised. Consid- 
ering the relation in which he stood 
to the Philistines, and the light in 
which he was regarded by them, it 
was certainly a step full of personal 
danger, provided he went thither 
openly and without disguise. But 
from the context it would rather ap- 
pear, that he entered the gates with- 
out the citizens being at first ap- 
prised of the fact. His being there, 
however, was soon noised abroad,' 
and his enemies were at once on the 
alert with their machinations to get 
him in their power, and what secu- 
rity for safety have they who wander 
unbidden from the path of duty ? IT 
And saw there an harlot, &c. The 
seeing this lewd woman was not per- 
haps the moving cause of his going 
to Gaza, but being there he accident- 
ally fell in with her, and was unhap- 



A. C. 1120.] 



CHAPTER XVL 



352 



in the gate of the city, and were 
quiet all the night, saying, In the 
morning when it is day we shall 
kill him. 

3 And Samson lay till mid- 
night, and arose at midnight, 
and took the doors of the gate of 
the city, and the two posts, and 
went away with them, bar and 
all, and put them upon his shoul- 



pily ensnared by the sight of his eyes. 
How have the strongest in grace oc- 
casion to pray, Lead us not into 
temptation ! 

2. And it was told the Gazites, say- 
ing, &c. The original word -j;pi 
corresponding to the Italics are so 
essential to the completion of the 
sense here, that there can be little 
doubt that it has by some accident 
been omitted. This is confirmed by 
the fact that the ancient versions for 
the most part exhibit its equivalent. 
IT They compassed him in. Heb. 
1 they went round about.' With the 
utmost activity they traversed the 
city to and fro, conversing with each 
other, concerting plans, and adopting 
measures to make a captive of their 
most formidable foe. Their princi- 
pal precaution, it seems, was to sta- 
tion sentinels at the gates to appre- 
hend him as he should attempt to 
pass out in the morning. IT Were 
quiet all the night. Heb. ' kept them- 
selves silent;' as if by special eon- 
straini. They would do nothing, 
make no disturbance, create no 
alarm, that would endanger the suc- 
cess of their schemes. 

3. Took the doors of the gate. 
Heb. ■ laid hold of, seized ' Not the 
great gate itself, but the two smaller 
doors or leaves, constructed within 
the large gate, and which alone were 
opened on ordinary occasions. The 
posts, bar, &c, of these were differ- 
ent from the more solid and massy 
fixtures of the great gate, which of 
course he could not think of remov- 
ing. It was indeed an instance of 



ders, and carried them up to the 
top of a hill that is before He- 
bron. 

4 IF And it came to pass after- 
ward, that he loved a woman in 
the valley of Sorek, whose name 
was Delilah. 

5 And the lords of the Philis- 
tines came up unto her, and 
said unto her, b Entice him, and 

bch. 14 15. See Prov. 2. 16-19. & 5.3-11. &6 
24, 25, 26. & 7. 21, 22, 23. 

divine forbearance at which Samson 
had occasion to wonder that his su- 
pernatural strength was yet continu- 
ed to him, notwithstanding his ag- 
gravated offence. We should have 
thought that his very convictions of 
conscience would have unnerved his 
arm, and rendered him all but abso- 
lutely powerless. But God may 
have wise reasons for deferring the 
punishment of those sins which yet 
do by no means pass with impunity. 
Samson is reprieved but not pardon- 
ed. IT A hill that is before Hebron, 
Rightly understood and rendered by 
the Sept. ' which looketh towards 
Hebron;' for the town of Hebron 
was twenty miles distant from Gaza. 
4. It came to pass afterward, that 
he loved a woman, &e. It is to be 
feared that Samson's impunity, at 
least for the present, in the former 
instance, emboldened him to give 
way a second time to unhallowed de- 
sires. ' Custom of success makes 
men confident in their sins, and! 
causes them to mistake an arbitrary 
tenure for a perpetuity.' Bp. Hall. 
The same idea is more emphatically 
expressed by Solomon : — ' Because 
sentence against an evil work is not 
executed speedily, therefore the 
heart of the sons of men is fully set 
in them to do evil.' It is not indeed 
expressly affirmed that this woman 
was a harlot, like the former, but 
from the tenor of the ensuing narra- 
tive, it is scarcely % to be questioned 
that she was. She is no where 
called his wife ; he did not take her 
home to his house j and the whole 



354 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1120. 



see wherein his great strength 
lieth, and by what means we 
may prevail against him, that 
we may bind him to afflict him ; 
and we will give thee every one 
of us eleven hundred pieces of 
silver. 

6 U" And Delilah said to Sam- 
son, Tell me I pray thee, where- 



train of her negotiations with her 
countrymen go to prove that she was 
a mercenary and perfidious courte- 
zan, governed in her conduct towards 
Samson by interest instead of affec- 
tion, if indeed it be not profaning the 
term affection to use it in connection 
win. such an illicit and degrading 
intercourse. Of the position of the 
valley of Sorek nothing certain is 
known. — As to the name of this vile 
woman ' Delilah,' its import is that 
of humbling, abasing, bringing down, 
and like hundreds of other names in 
the Scriptures, originating in events, 
may have been derived from the evil 
influence which she exerted upon 
Samson. 

5. Entice him, and see, &c. { The 
princes of the Philistines, 5 as Bp. 
Hall shrewdly remarks, ' knew al- 
ready where Samson's weakness lay, 
though not his strength, and there- 
fore they would entice his harlot 
with gifts to entice him.' These five 
satraps made common cause on this 
occasion, considering Samson a pub- 
lic enemy whom it equally concern- 
ed them all to crush if possible. 
If Wherein his great strength lieth. 
Rather, Heb. l whereby, or for what 
cause, his strength is (so) great' 
(bVrt ifD n&aO Perhaps imagin- 
ing it was the effect of some charm, 
spell, or amulet, which he carried 
about with him, and that if they could 
get possession of this, they would 
soon have him in their power. IT 
That we may bind him to afflict him. 
Or, Heb. ' to humble, to depress, to 
bring him low.' They do not say 
expressly ' to kill him,' though this 
was their ultimate intention, but they 



in thy great strength lieth,. and 
wherewith thou mightest be 
bound to afflict thee. 

7 And Samson said unto her, 
If they bind me with seven green 
withs, that were never dried, 
then shall I be weak, and be as 
another man. 

8 Then the lords of the Phil- 



no doubt saw that the plain avowal 
of such a bloody purpose would 
shock too much whatever feelings 
of woman yet remained in the bosom 
of Delilah, and would thus defeat 
their plan ; besides, it is clear from 
the event that they designed by a 
series of aggravated insults and in- 
juries to torture and break down his 
spirit, and thus prolong their triumph 
before putting the finishing stroke to 
it in his death. IT Eleven hundred 
pieces of silver. These pieces of 
silver were probably shekels, and the 
total sum according to our computa- 
tion would amount to upwards of 
$2000, a vast bribe for the time and 
country. 

6. Delilah said to Samson, Tell 
me, &c. It can scarcely be supposed 
that this question was so bluntly and 
nakedly propounded as here stated, 
as in that case her treacherous de- 
sign could not well have failed to be» 
tray itself. It is the general usage 
of the sacred writers merely to give 
the leading incidents, the prominent 
outlines, of the events which they re- 
late, leaving the details to be sup- 
plied by the reflection of the reader. 
In this case she undoubtedly plied all 
her arts of blandishment and persua- 
sion, and by taking advantage of his 
yielding moods, and expressing her 
admiration of his wonderful exploits, 
aimed to throw him off his guard, 
and thus win his secret from him 
unawares. But as yet he retained 
sufficient self-possession to elude her 
cunning. 

7. // they bind me with seven green 
withs, &c. How Samson's veracity 
in this reply is to be vindicated, wq 



A. C. 1120.] 



CHAPTER XVI. 



355 



istines brought up to her seven 
green withs, which had not been 
dried, and she bound him with 
them. 

9 (Now there were men lying 
in wait, abiding with her in the 
chamber.) And she said unto 



know not. Probably the same ob- 
tuseness of conscience which made 
him insensible to the guilt of one 
species of sin, rendered him reckless 
of another. How fearful the effects 
of suffering the moral sense to be 
deadened by a single case of willful 
transgression! As the word transla- 
ted ' withs' (in* 1 yether) is a general 
word for rope or* cord, we learn by 
the use of the epithet ' green,' that 
the ropes in use among the Hebrews, 
like those employed in many other 
countries and formed of osiers, 
hazles, &c, were made of crude veg- 
etable materials, such as vines, ten- 
drils, pliable twisted rods, or the 
tough fibres of trees. AndJosephus 
expressly says that the ropes with 
which Samson was bound were 
made of the tendrils of the vine. 
Such ropes are still used in the East, 
and while they remain green are 
stronger than any other. In India 
the legs of wild elephants and buf- 
fuloes newly caught are commonly 
bound with bonds of this sort ; those 
of hemp and flax being rarely found 
there . Except some that are formed 
of hair or leather they are gener- 
ally made of the fibres of trees 
(particularly of the palm tree), of 
roots, of grasses, and of reeds and 
rushes. They are in general toler- 
ably strong, but in no degree com- 
parable to our own hempen ropes. 
Though light, yet wanting in com- 
pactness, they are much thicker than 
those employed by us, and are gen- 
erally rough and coarse to the eye. 
The Septuagint, however, by trans- 
lating the Hebrew by vcvpais vyoaig, 
and the Vulgate by nerviceis funibus, 
understand these bonds to be cords 
made of the sinews of cattle, or per- 
haps out of raw hides, which make 



him, The Philistines be upon 
thee, Samson. And he brake 
the withs as a thread of tow is 
broken when it toucheth the fire. 
So his strength was not known. 
10 And Delilah said unto 
Samson, Behold, thou hast mock- 
exceedingly strong cords. But the 
objection to this rendering is, that 
animal sinews or hides when 
1 green.' i. e. humid, recent, have less 
strength than when throughly dried. 
The former is doubtless the true in- 
terpretation. II Be as another man, 
Heb. ' as one man, 5 i. e. as any man. 

8. And she bound him with them. 
Perhaps in dalliance, in a sportive 
way, as though she were only half 
in earnest, or at any rate wished 
only to gratify her own curiosity, 
and see if what he had told her was 
true. 

9. Now there were men lying in 
wait, abiding with her in the chamber. 
Heb. * and the lier in wait (collect, 
sing, for plur.) sat for her in an in- 
ner apartment.' Our translation 
very erroneously represents the Hers 
in wait as abiding in the same cham- 
ber where she and Samson now 
were; but if so, how could he but 
have been aware of their presence 7 ? 
That which we have given is the 
true rendering. The Heb. j-j^ is 
not ' with her,' but ' to or for her,' 
i. e. subservient to her designs. IT 
The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. 
Are at hand to surprise and take 
thee ; probably the concerted signal 
for the men lying in wait to rush in- 
to the room, and if the experiment 
succeeded, and his limbs were effect 
tually manacled, to make him pri- 
soner at once. 5T When it toucheth 
the fire. Heb. ' when it smelleth the 
fire;' i. e. when it perceiveth, feel- 
eth, or hath a sensation of the fire; 
metaphorically spoken. The use of 
the term ' smell' in this sense in 
the Hebrew is somewhat peculiar. 
Thus Job, 14. 9, speaking of a tree 
cut down, ■ Yet through the scent of 
water it will bud :' i. e. through the 



356 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1120. 



ed me and told me lies: now 
tell me, I pray thee, wherewith 
thou mightest be bound. 

11 And he said unto her, If 
they bind me fast with new 
ropes that never were occupied, 
then shall I be weak, and be as 
another man, 

12 Delilah therefore took new 
ropes, and bound him therewith, 
and said unto him, The Philis- 
tines be upon thee, Samson. 
(And there were Hers in wait 
abiding in the chamber.) And 
he brake them from off his arms 
like a thread. 



perception of water. Ps. 59. 9, ' Be- 
fore your pots can feel the thorns.' 
Heb. can smell the thorns. Dan. 3. 
27, 'Neither were their coats chang- 
ed, nor the smell of fire had passed 
on them ;' i. e. the feeling, the per- 
ception of fire. 

10. And Delilah said unto Samson, 
&c. After the lapse of some con- 
siderable time, when she saw that 
her blandishments had given her an 
advantage over him; for to renew 
the attempt to worm out of him his 
secret, immediately after her failure 
would of course have been bad po- 
licy. 

11. If they bind me fast with new 
ropes. Heb. s^rQ3> from rQj) to 
wreathe, braid, twist together, to make 
thick by wreathing, and implying 
ropes or cords of the thickest and 
strongest description, probably ans- 
wering nearly to the idea of our 
modern cables. The material, how- 
ever, may have been the same with 
that of the fc'nrP mentioned above. 
1T That never were occupied. Heb. 
♦wherewith work hath not been 
done.' 

13. The seven locks of my head. 
Heb. c the seven braids or plaits ;' in- 
to which probably the hair of Sam- 
son was braided. As seven, how- 
ever, is a usual term in the Scrip- 



13 And Delilah said unto 
Samson, Hitherto thou hast 
mocked me, and told me lies : 
tell me wherewith thou mightest 
be bound. And he said unto 
her, If thou weavest the seven 
locks of my head with the web. 

14 And she fastened it with 
the pin, and said unto him, The 
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. 
And he awaked out of his sleep, 
and went away with the pin of 
the beam, and with the web. 

15 IF And she said unto him, 
c How canst thou say, I love 
thee, when thine heart is not 



tures for completness or universality, 
it may here be equivalent simply to 
1 all my locks.' His strength, he tells 
her, would be weakened if these were 
interwoven with the warp which 
was in a loom hard by, perhaps in 
the same room ; which might be the 
place wheie Delilah used to weave. 
This verse seems to end abruptly, 
but the supplementary clause, ' Then 
shall I be like another man,' is easily 
supplied from the context. 

14. And she fastened it with the pin. 
Rather, she fastened it with a pin. 
Heb. ^ri"^ SpDu. Both the origi- 
nal words occur in the account of 
JaeFs driving (yjpnn) foepin("\r\*ir\) 
into Sisera's temples, and the prob- 
ability is, that the web, with Sam- 
son'slock interwoven, was in some 
way secured by being fixed to a 
strong pin which was driven either 
into the ground or into the wall, as 
the Septuagint understands it. Or 
rather, as the looms at that period 
were very simple, the words may 
import that the loom itself was more 
firmly secured by means of the pin 
driven into the ground. IT With 
the pin of the beam, &c. But what 
was ' the pin of the beam V No in- 
telligible sense is afforded by the 
phrase, nor from our ignorance of 
the exact structure of the ancient 



A, C. 1120.] 



CHAPTER XVI. 



357 



with me? Thou hast mocked 
me these three times, and hast 
not told me wherein thy great 
strength lieth. 

loom is it perhaps possible to assign 
one. The literal rendering of the 
original seems to be, ' He went away 
with the pin, the weaving imple- 
ments, and the web ;' in other words, 
he took away the whole apparatus 
together. We doubt if any thing 
more definite can be elicited from the 
words. 

15. When thine heart is not with 
me. When thou dost not lay open 
thy heart to me; when thou canst 
not trust me with its secrets. An 
important practical truth lies at the 
foundation of this remonstrance of 
Delilah. It is true, that ' they only 
have our love, who have our hearts ;' 
and the remark holds eminently in 
regard to love to God. If we pro- 
fess to love Him while the warmth 
of our affection is withholden, and a 
cold reserve takes the place of that 
free, filial, and unreserved inter- 
course which is the privilege of his 
people, what is to be inferred from 
it, but that we are deceiving our- 
selves with an empty showl His de- 
mand is, ' My son give me thy heart.' 

16, 17. When she pressed him daily 
— he told her all his heart. Alas! 
how are the mighty fallen ! What 
an affecting exhibition of the weak- 
ness of human nature even in its 
best estate. Well could Samson now 
adopt the language of Solomon ; — ' I 
find more bitter than death the wo- 
man whose heart is snares and nets, 
and her hands are bands : w T hoso 
pleaseth God shall escape from her ; 
but the sinner shall be taken by her.' 
Wearied out by the ceaseless up- 
braidings of his vile paramour, and 
enslaved by the violence of his pas- 
sion, the fatal secret is at length ex- 
torted from him, and the mighty 
Nazarite remains scarcely a common 
man ! So perfectly captivated and 
intoxicated had he become, notwith- 
standing repeated warnings, by the 
vehemence of his affection, "that, 

31 



16 And it came to pass when 
she pressed him daily with her 
words, and urged him. so that 
his soul was vexed unto death ; 



1 like the silly dove without heart/ 
he rushed upon his ruin ! Had he 
not been completely infatuated, he 
would have seen before that no alter- 
native remained to him but to break 
away at once and at all hazards from 
the enchantress, and quit the field 
where it was so evident that he could 
not keep his ground. But no chains 
are stronger than those woven by 
illicit love, and with him who be- 
comes their prisoner, reputation, life, 
usefulness, yea, even God's glory, 
and the salvation of the soul, are put 
to perii in obedience to its unhal- 
lowed dictates. But the righteous 
judgment of God is not to be over- 
looked in this fearful fall of the 
champion of Israel. Having so long 
presumptuously played with his ruin, 
Heaven leaves him to himself as a 
punishment for his former guilty in- 
dulgence. He is made to reap as he 
had sown, and consigned to the 
hands of his enemies for ' the de- 
struction of the flesh that the spirit 
might be saved in the day of the 
Lord Jesus.' But it becomes not us 
to exult over the apostacy of the 
fallen. 'We wonder that a man 
could possibly be so sottish, and yet 
we ourselves by temptation become 
no less insensate. Sinful pleasures, 
like a common Delilah, lodge in our 
bosoms ; we know they aim at no- 
thing but the death of our soul ; we 
will yield to them and die. Every 
willing sinner is a Samson; let us 
not inveigh against his senseless- 
ness, but our own : nothing is so gross 
and unreasonable to a well-disposed 
mind, which temptation wil! not re- 
present fit and plausible. No soul 
can, out of his own strength, secure 
himself from that sin which he most 
detesteth.' Bp. Hall. Let us learn 
hence, (1.) That fidelity is never to 
be expected from those who show an 
utter unfaithfulness to God, and have 
stifled and triumphed over the in- 



358 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1120. 



17 That he d told her all his 
heart, and said unto her, e There 
hath not come a razor upon my 
head ; for I have been a Nazarite 
unto God from my mother's 
womb : if I be shaven, then my 
strength will go from me, and I 
shall become weak, and be like 
any other man. 

18 And when Delilah saw 
that he had told her all his heart, 

d Mic; 7. 5. e Num. 6. 5. ch. 13 5. 

ward warning voice of conscience. 
(2.) That when the heart is infatua- 
ted by unlawful desire, repeated 
warnings of danger will be disre- 
garded. (3.) That they who feel 
themselves unable to resist the im- 
portunity of their tempters should in- 
stantly fly from their dangerous pre- 
sence. IT /have been a Nazariie 
unto God from my mother's womb. 
What a confession to be made in the 
lap of a vile Delilah ! What a com- 
mentary upon his words was afforded 
by his present condition ! Strange 
that the utterance of a sentence be- 
traying such a glaring inconsistency 
in his conduct should not have awak- 
ened him from the spell by w r hich he 
was bound, and made him break 
away with his secret but half divulg- 
ed! Strange, that when his own 
voice thus pronounced his condem- 
nation he should have remained as 
insensible as the nether mill-stone! 
IT If 1 be shaven , then my strength will 
gofromme,&LC. Not that his strength 
lay in his hair, for this in fact had 
no natural influence upon it, one 
way or the other. His strength 
arose from his peculiar relation to 
God as a Nazarite, and the preserva- 
tion of his hair unshaven or unshorn 
was the mark or sign of his Naza- 
riteship, and a pledge on the part of 
God of the continuance of his mirac- 
ulous physical powers. If he lost 
this sign, the badge of his , consecra- 
tion, he broke his vow, and conse- 
quently forfeited the thing signified. 
God abandoned him, and he was 



she sent and called for the lords 
of the Philistines, saying, Come 
up this once, for he hath shewed 
me all his heart. Then the 
lords of the Philistines came up 
unto her, and brought money in 
their hand. 

19 f And she made him sleep 
upon her knees ; and she called 
for a man, and she caused him 
to shave off the seven locks of 



f Prov. 7. 26. 27. 



thenceforward no more, in this 
respect, than a common man ; at 
least was deprived of supernatural 
strength. 

18. When Delilah saw ,&c. When, 
she became satisfied by the serious 
tone in which he spake, and by the 
various tokens to be read in his coun- 
tenance, air, general manner, &c, 
that he had told her the truth. 

19. Made him sleep upon her knees. 
A custom very common in the East. 
1 It is very amusing to see a full- 
grown son, or a husband, asleep on , 
his mother's or wife's knees. The 
plan is as follows : the female sits 
cross-legged on the carpet or mat, 
and the man having laid himself 
down, puts his head in her lap, and 
she gently taps, strokes, sings, and 
soothes him to sleep.' — Roberts. IT 
Caused him to shave off. Heb. 
'shaved off;' that is, by the agency 

of another, as well rendered in our 
common version. That a man 
should be able not only to cut, but to 
shave off the hair, on which, during 
all Samson's life, razor had never 
before come, implies either that Sam- 
son slept very soundly, or that the 
man was very dexterous in his craft. 
In fact the Oriental barbers do their 
work with so much ease, as to render 
the shaving of the head (the head is 
usually shaven in the East) rather 
grateful than unpleasant. The most 
delicate sleeper would scarcely be 
awakened by it ; and even those who 
are awake are scarcely sensible of 
the operation which they are under- 



A. C. 1120.] 



CHAPTER XVI. 



359 



his head ; and she began to af- 
flict him, and his strength went 
from him. 

20 And she said, The Philis- 
tines be upon thee, Samson. And 
he awoke out of his sleep, and 
said, I will go out as at other 



going. (Pict. Bible.) IT Began 
to afflict him. That is, from this act 
of hers commenced that series of in- 
sults, injuries, and humiliations, 
which his enemies had before v. 5, 
announced their intention to bring 
upon him. He had hitherto sported 
thoughtlessly upon the brink of the 
precipice of degradation and ruin, 
and now his fall can no longer be de- 
layed. As the next step in his down- 
ward career his miraculous strength 
forsakes him. IT His strength went 
from him. Having now violated the 
conditions of his Nazarite vow, on 
which it depended. ' He that sleeps 
in sin must look to wake in loss and 
weakness.' Bp. Hall. 

20. Awoke out of his sleep, and 
said. That is, said to himself, 
thought, resolved. IT Will go out 
— and shake myself. Shake myself 
free from the fetters with which I 
am bound, and rid myself of the en- 
-emies that would be upon me. It is 
not indeed expressly stated that he 
was bound at this time, but the pro- 
bability is that such was the case, 
that Delilah had slyly tied his hands 
while he was asleep. 1T Wist not 
that the Lord wo.s departed from him. 
Being newly awakened out of sleep 
he knew not that his head had been 
shaven of its locks, and therefore did 
not suspect that God had withdrawn 
his special influences from him. 
This circumstance may serve as a 
striking illustration of what often 
happens to those who have provoked 
God by their transgressions. By a 
righteous dereliction he leaves them ; 
he withdraws his favorable presence ; 
and yet like Samson they are not 
aware of the desertion. They feel 
&ot the loss they have sustained ; at 



times before, and shake myself. 
And he wist not that the Lord 
swas departed from him, 

21 11 But the Philistines took 
him, and put out his eyes, and 
brought him down to Gaza, and 
bound him with fetters of brass ; 

gNum. 14 9, 42, 43. Josh 7. 12. 1 Sara. 16. 14- 
& 18. 12. &28 15, 16. 2 Chron. 15. 2. 

least till they begin to be sensible by 
frustrated schemes and adverse 
providences that it is not with them 
as in days that are past. Though 
their souls languish and grow weak, 
and their gifts as well as their graces 
wither, and others perceive their 
spiritual decline, yet a strange delu- 
sion is upon them ; they know not 
their real state; they fancy them- 
selves in health and prosperity whea 
the sources of both are effectually 
undermined within them. 'God is 
departed from him' expresses one of 
the most fearful forms of the divine 
judgments. 

21. Put out his eyes. Heb. { bored 
out.' ' With the Greeks and Asia- 
tics, the way of putting out the eyes, 
or blinding, was not (always) by 
pulling or cutting out the eyes, as 
some have imagined ; but by draw- 
ing, or holding a red-hot iron before 
them. This method is still in use 
in Asia. According to Chardin, 
however, the pupils of the eyes were 
more frequently pierced and destroy- 
ed on such occasions. But The- 
venot says, c that the eyes in these 
barbarous acts are taken out whole^ 
with the point of a dagger, and car- 
ried to the king in a basin.' He 
adds, that, 'as the king sends whom 
he pleases to do that cruel office, 
some princes are so butchered by un- 
skilful hands, that it costs them "their 
lives.' In Persia it is no unusual 
practice for the king to punish a re- 
bellious city or province by exacting 
so many pounds of eyes; and his 
executioners accordingly go and 
scoop out from every one they meet, 
till they have the weight required.' — 
Burder. Thus was the lust of the 
eye in looking after and gazing upon 



360 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1120. 



and he did grind in the prison- 
house. 

22 Howbeit the hair of his 

strange women punished. The of- 
fending organ that he had refused to 
pluck out was in effect plucked out 
for him in the righteous providence 
of God. If Bound him with fetters 
of brass. A proof that iron, though 
now well known, had not yet come 
into general use ; as otherwise we 
should doubtless have found Samson 
bound with fetters of that material. 
The emphasis here is not on brass, 
as distinguished from any other 
metal ; but to show that his fetters 
were of metal, and that he was not, 
like the common class of offenders, 
bound with ropes or thongs of leath- 
er. IT He did grind in the prison- 
house. Of course with mill-stones 
worked by the hands, this being still 
the usual method of grinding corn in 
the East. It is an employment, how- 
ever, which usually devolves on wo- 
men; and to assign it to such a man 
as Samson was doubtless with a view 
to reduce him to the lowest state of 
degradation and dishonor. To grind 
corn for others was, even for a wo- 
man, a proverbial term expressing 
the most degraded and oppressed con- 
dition; and how much more for 
Samson, who seems to have been 
made grinder-general for the prison- 
house. 

*Ask for this great deliverer now, and find him 
Eyeless at Gaza, at the mill with slaves.' 

Milton. 

The champion and avenger of Israel 
is now become the drudge and the 
sport of the Philistines. The crown 
is fallen from his head, and his honor 
laid in the dust. We are ready to 
pity the degraded judge of Israel, 
when we see him reduced to such a 
state of misery by his enemies; but 
while we pity the man, we congrat- 
ulate the sinner, to whose final sal- 
vation these heavy trials were made 
subservient. Let us not however 
lose sight of the solemn lesson which 
his misery teaches us. What a 
warning to those who 'yield their 



head began to grow again after 
he was shaven. 

23 Then the lords of the 



members instruments of iniquity.' 
They will find their bondage bitter 
and unbearable when they are final- 
ly bound with the chains which their 
sins have forged for them. 

22. The hair of his head began to 
grow again, after he was shaven. 
Rather, Heb. 'according as it had 
been shaved ;' i. e. in the same pro- 
portions as it had been cut off. This 
circumstance, though in itself incon- 
siderable,, is mentioned by way of 
suitable preface to what follows. 
The letting the hair grow was a 
prominent circumstance in the con- 
dition of a Nazarite; and the extra- 
ordinary strength of Samson was not 
a matter of thews and sinews, but 
was conferred upon him as a special 
gift of God, on condition of his re- 
maining in the state of Nazariteship. 
The Toss of his hair did' not in itself 
deprive him of strength ; but the loss 
of his hair involved the loss of his 
strength, because it took from him 
the condition of a Nazarite, with 
which his extraordinary physical 
powers were inseparably connected. 
Accordingly when we find him 
again growing strong after the re- 
newed growth of his hair, we are 
bound to believe that it was not be- 
cause his hair grew ; but because he 
repented of his past misconduct. 
God was pleased, therefore, having 
hereby become reconciled to his of- 
fending servant, to accept the re- 
newal of his vow of Nazariteship,. 
including the consecration of his 
hair, and in consequence of that ac- 
ceptance re-invested him, as his hair 
grew, with the powers which he had 
before lost. In the language of Bp. 
Hall, 'his hair grew together with 
his repentance, and his strength with 
his hair/ The practical reflections 
of the same writer on this part of 
Samson's history are equally striking 
and just. ' It is better for Samson to 
be blind in prison, than to abuse his 
eyes in Sorek; yea, I may safely 



A. C. 1120.] 



CHAPTER XVI. 



361 



Philistines gathered them togeth- 
er, for to offer a great sacrifice 
unto Dagon their god, and to 
rejoice : for they said, Our god 
hath delivered Samson our ene- 
my into our hand. 

24 And when the people saw 
him, they h praised their god : 
for they said, Our god hath de- 
livered into our hands our enemy, 
and the destroyer of our coun- 
try ; which slew many of us. 

25 And it came to pass, when 
their hearts were imerry, that 



say, he was more blind when he saw 
licentiously, than now that he sees 
not; he was a greater slave when he 
served his affections, than now in 
grinding for the Philistines. The 
loss of his eyes shows him his sin, 
neither could he see how ill he had 
done till he saw not.' Bp. Hall. 

23. The lords of the Philistines 
gathered them together, &c. This 
great festival scene had evidently 
been some time delayed, as appears 
from the fact of Samson's hair 
having had time to grow in the in- 
terval; but perhaps the necessary 
preparations for so grand an occa- 
sion consumed considerable time, or 
it may have been the second anni- 
versary of the deliverance of their 
enemy into their hands. IT Unto 
Dagon their god. A deity of the 
Philistines generally represented as 
having the head and upper parts hu- 
man, while the rest of the body re- 
sembled a fish. It w r as called Der- 
ceto among the heathens, though the 
Heb. word { Dagon' comes from 
1 Dag' a fish. The Philistines living 
on the sea coast, they had a sea- 
•idol. IT Our god hath delivered, 
&c. Though they knew that he was 
betrayed into their hands by Delilah, 
yet they foolishly attribute it to their 
god, The circumstance however 
affords a hint worth taking. If even 
a Philistine ascribes his victories to 
31* 



they said, Call for Samson that 
he may make us sport. And 
they called for Samson out of 
the prison-house ; and he made 
them sport : and they set him 
between the pillars. 

26 And Samson said unto 
the lad that held him by the 
hand, Suffer me that I may feel 
the pillars whereupon the house 
staudeth, that I may lean upon 
them. 

27 Now the house was full 
of men and women : and all the 



his idol gods, how much more are 
we bound to pay a similar tribute to 
our God, and give him the glory of 
every great and good work done by 
us, in us, or for us. IT Which slew 
many of us. Heb. ' which multiplied 
our slain.' 

25. When their hearts were merry. 
Heb. ' when their hearts were good.' 
A parallel usage occurs Ruth, 3. 7. 
1 Sam. 25. 36, and elsewhere. IT 
That he may make us sport. That 
is, passively, that he may be a sub- 
ject of sport and merriment to us ; 
that we may make ourselves merry 
at his expense. It is quite improb- 
able, we think, that Samson, a poor 
blind prisoner, should be required 
actively to engage in any thing that 
should make sport to his enemies. 
The idea doubtless is simply, that he 
should be brought out to become a 
laughing-stock to them, a butt for 
their scoffs, mockeries, and insults. 
Accordingly the Sept. version of 
the next clause has, c And they buf- 
feted him ;' and Josephus says, he 
was brought out, ' that they might 
insult him in their cups.' But their 
triumphing was short, and their joy 
but for a moment. ' Nothing fills 
the measure of the iniquity of any 
person, or people faster than mock- 
ing or misusing the servants of God, 
yea, though it is by their own folly 
that they are brought low. Those 



362 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1120. 



lords of the Philistines were there ; 
•and there were 'upon the k roof 
about three thousand men and 
women, that beheld while Sam- 
son made sport. 



know not what they do, nor whom 
they affront, that make sport with a 
good man.' Henry. 

27. Upon the roof about three thou- 
sand men and women. The house or 
temple itself was full of the princi- 
pal people below ; while about three 
thousand, probably of the lower or- 
ders, had stationed themselves upon 
the roof, the roofs of eastern build- 
ings, as is well known, being gener- 
ally flat. In answer to the question, 
How this large number of persons on 
the roof could have seen Samson 
while made the subject of mirth be- 
low'? — it may be remarked, that we 
are to form our ideas of the scene 
from the style of building common to 
the East. The edifice in question un- 
doubtedly formed a part of a quad- 
rangular pile of buildings and walls, 
having a court or area in the centre, 
where Samson might be exhibited 
with ease to the whole assembled 
multitude. The principal building 
in such structures generally occu- 
pies that side of the inclosure which 
faces the entrance, and is advanced 
considerably out of the line of the 
square. It is, moreover, usually 
constructed with an open front to 
afford a clear view of what is going 
on in the court, having curtains to 
be drawn up or let down at pleasure, 
and supported by two or more pillars 
either in the front or in the centre. 
Samson probably after having been 
for some time paraded about the 
area, where every one could see him, 
requested to be conducted within the 
part of the edifice now described, 
that he might rest himself against 
its pillars, see on v. 29. 

28. Samson called unto the Lord, 
and said, &c. It is scarcely to be 
presumed that this prayer was ut- 
tered audibly. It was rather, we 
may suppose, a mental petition, 



28 And Samson called xmto 
the Lord, and said, O Lord God, 
i remember me, I pray thee, and 
strengthen me, I pray thee, only 
this once, O God, that 1 may be 



breathed forth from the depths of a 
broken heart, where godly sorrow 
had been doing its perfect work. 
But though the voice of his prayer 
was not heard of man, yet it was 
graciously heard and answered of 
God, and though he himself did not 
live to recite or record it, yet God, 
by revealing it to the inspired pen- 
man, provided for its being register- 
ed for the benefit of the church. 
Whether it is to be considered as 
embracing all that he inwardly ut- 
tered, or merely the general drift, 
the substance of it, is uncertain ; 
probably the latter, according to 
prevailing usage in the Scripture 
style of narration. By praying that 
God would once more remember 
and strengthen him, he virtually ac- 
knowledged that all the wonderful 
exploits he had hitherto performed 
were owing to a strength given him 
from above, and that he would be 
powerless for the present achieve- 
ment unless the same divine aid were 
granted him True it is, if we regard 
the bare letter of his petition, it has 
the air of being prompted mainly by 
a spirit of revenge ; but from God's 
accepting and answering the prayer, 
ii cannot be doubted, that he looked 
upon himself in this transaction, not 
as a private but as a public person, 
extraordinarily called to be the in- 
strument of a signal act of vengeance 
to the enemies of Israel and of God. 
The indignities heaped upon him- 
self had indeed been great and griev- 
ous, and such as would be in fact 
worthily punished in the catastrophe 
which he meditated. But this was 
not his leading motive. The con- 
sideration of his personal sufferings 
was merged in a holy zeal for the 
Lord of hosts, the vindication of 
whose glory w T as of infinitely more 
consequence than the avengement 



A. C. 1120.] 



CHAPTER XVI. 



363 



at once avenged of the Philistines 
for my two eyes. 

29 And Samson took hold of 
the two middle pillars upon 
which the house stood, and on 
which it was borne up, of the 

of his own wrongs. In putting out 
his eyes, they had ' touched the 
apple' of God's eye, and this was not 
to be done with impurity. Under 
the influence of this feeling, combin- 
ed with the consciousness that his 
own past misconduct would be no 
more than justly visited by a painful 
end, he cheerfully devotes himself 
to death. 

29. Took hold of the two middle 
pillars upon which the house stood. 
To this it has been objected, How 
could a roof capable of accommoda- 
ting three thousand persons be sup- 
ported upon two pillars % But it is 
not said that there were no more 
than two. There might have been 
several others not standing in the 
middle or central part of the build- 
ing, which contributed to the support 
of the roof, when at the same time 
the removal of the two in question, 
would, more than all the rest, endan- 
ger the fall of the whole edifice. 
The celebrated architect Sir Chris- 
topher Wren says, that in consider- 
ing what kind of fabric it must be 
that could with one pull be demolish- 
ed, he conceived to himself a vast 
roof of cedar beams resting at one 
end upon the walls, and centering at 
the other upon one short architrave 
that united two cedar pillars in the 
middle. ' One pillar would not be 
sufficient to unite the ends of at least 
one hundred beams that tended to 
the centre ; therefore, I say, there 
must have been a short architrave 
resting upon two pillars, upon which 
all the beams tending to the centre 
might be supported. Now if Sam- 
son, by his miraculous strength 
pressing on one (or both) these pil- 
lars, moved it from its basis, the 
whole roof must of necessity fall.' 
{Hewlett's Bible.) H On which it 



one with his right hand, and of 
the other with his left. 

30 And Samson said, Let me 
die with the Philistines. And 
he bowed himself with all his 
might ; and the house fell upon 



was borne up. This idea had been 
already expressed in the words im- 
mediately preceding, nor does the 
original so well admit this render- 
ing. The Heb. ErP^s? ^toCH mav 
we think be more correctly trans- 
lated, ' he leaned or stayed himself 
upon them.' 

30. Let me die. I am content to 
die, if the glory of God requires it ; 
as at once a suitable punishment to 
me, and means of judgment to the 
Philistines. Heb. ' let my soul die ;' 
i. e. according to Hebrew usage, let 
my life become extinct. As to his 

1 soul,' as we understand the term, 
he would of course pray that that 
might live. Samson's death is no 
warrant for suicide, as it does not 
appear that he directly sought it, or 
designed to bring it about any far- 
ther than as it might be the inevit- 
able consequence of destroying so 
many of the enemies of his people. 
He may be considered therefore as 
having perished in the same way as 
if he had fallen in battle like Josiah, 

2 Chron. 36. 23, 34, resisting the in- 
vaders of his country. It He bowed 
himself with all his might, and the 
house fell, &c. With arms extended 
he grasps the massy pillars, and feel- 
ing an answer to his prayer in the 
renewed strength bestowed upon 
him, he bends himself forward with 
all his force; the pillars rock, the 
building totters, the roof encumber- 
ed with the weight of the spectators, 
rushes down, and death in every tre- 
mendous shape appears. Crushed 
under the load or dashed to pieces 
in the fall, thousands expire. Their 
music is now changed to dying 
groans, and shrieks of agonizing 
pain, instead of songs of triumph fill 
the air. Thus dies the mighty Sam- 
son, triumphant in his fall, and more 



364 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406, 



the lords, and upon all the peo- 
ple that were therein. So the 
dead which he slew at his death 
were more than they which he 
slew in his life. 

31 Then his brethren and all 
the house of his father came 
down, and took him, and brought 
him up, and m buried him between 



terrible to the Philistines in his 
death than even during: his life. 
Who can in this but be reminded 
of that adorable Saviour, who ' tri- 
umphed over principalities and pow- 
ers upon the cross, and by death 
overcame him that had the power 
of death, and delivered those who 
through fear of death were all their 
lifetime subject to bondage.' 

31. Then his brethren — came down 
and took him. The overwhelming 
catastrophe which had destroyed the 
lives of so many of the lords and in- 
ferior rulers of the people, seems to 
have been such a crush to the Phil- 
istine power, that they troubled Is- 
rael no more for several years, and 
did not even attempt to hinder Sam- 
son's relations from taking away 
and burying his dead body. It was 
selected out from heaps of the slain, 
brought honorably to his own coun- 
try, and interred in the sepulchre of 
of his fathers. — Thus terminates the 
history of one of the most remark- 
able personages that ever distin- 
guished the annals of the Jewish 
or any other people. We may learn 
from it, that great gifts are often 
connected with great imperfections. 
The champion of Israel possessed 
courage and strength, and did signal 
service to his country in contending 
with its enemies ; but he had little 
self-government, and affords a mel- 
ancholy proof how little corporeal 
prowess avails when judgment and 
prudence are wanting, and how dan- 
gerous, in fact, are all such gifts in 
the hands of any one, who has not 
his passions under proper discipline 
and the fear of God continually be- 



Zorah and Eshtaol in the bury- 
ing, place of Manoah his father. 
And he judged Israel twenty 
years. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

A ND there was a man of 
mount Ephraim, whose name 
was Micah. 



fore his eyes. While as a Nazaritc 
he was careful to abstain from strong K 
drink, he took little heed to cultivate 
that purity of sentiment and conduct 
which is a crown to every other ex- 
cellence, and the want of which 
never fails to sully the lustre of the 
brightest characters. — It t may here 
be remarked, that from the history 
of Samson it is generally supposed 
was derived that of the Hercules of 
the pagan mythology, and M. De 
Lavour, an ingenious French writ- 
er, has drawn out the parallel at full 
length, an abridgement of which 
may be seen in Dr. A. Clark's com- 
mentary. The coincidences are 
certainly very striking, and to most 
minds would perhaps afford an ad- 
ditional proof of how much the 
heathens have been indebted to the 
Bible. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

That the events related in the re- 
maining chapters of this book did 
not occur in the order in which they 
stand in the sacred narrative, is uni- 
versally admitted. They constitute 
a regular appendix to the book, 
which is inserted here that it might 
not interrupt the previous history of 
the Judges. The events themselves 
occurred long before the time of 
Samson, and probably in the inter- 
val that ensued after the death of 
Joshua and the elders who outlived 
him, and while the government was 
in a very unsettled state. In chron-. 
ological order the proper place for 
these chapters would undoubtedly 
be between ch. 2 and 3, as remarked 
on ch, 3. 11. The history compre-> 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XVII. 



365 



2 And he said unto his moth- 
er, The eleven hundred shekels 
of silver that were taken from 
thee, about which thou cursedst, 
and spakest of also in mine ears, 
behold, the silver is with me ; I 
took it. And his mother said, 
a Blessed be thou of the Lord, my 



son. 



a Gen. 14, 19. Ru«h 3. 10. 



tended in the'present and the follow- 
ing chapter is obviously connected 
with ch. 1. 34, where the reasons of 
the emigration of a part of the tribe 
of Dan to the northern quarter of 
Canaan are stated. * The Amorites 
forced the children of Dan into the 
mountain ; for they would not suffer 
them to come down to the valley.' 
The consequence was, they sought 
a more enlarged inheritance, and 
while in the course of possessing 
themselves of this, the events here 
related, resulting in the establish- 
ment of idolatry in that tribe, oc- 
curred. The sad story of the Le- 
vite's concubine and the war with 
Benjamin occupies the remaining 
part of the appendix. These inci- 
dents are expressly said, ch. 20. 28, 
to have occurred while Phineas, the 
grandson of Aaron was high-priest, 
and must therefore be assigned to 
about the same period. 

1 . A man of mount Ephraim, whose 
name was Micah. Heb. vp^ift 
Michayehu, (i. e. who is like Jeho- 
vah 1 J but in the subsequent narra- 
tive the name is uniformly contract- 
ed into j-j^fc Micah. This the Jew- 
ish writers say is owing to the fact 
of his having become an idolater, 
after which event the sacred pen- 
man, they affirm, regarded it as a 
profanation of the name Jehovah to 
have it connected in any manner 
with his. By ' mount Ephraim' here 
is meant, as usual, the mountainous 
parts of Ephraim. 

2. About which thou cursedst. 
Pronouncedest an imprecation upon 
the thief; or, perhaps, didst adjure 



3 And when he had restored 
the eleven hundred shekels of sil- 
ver to his mother, his mother 
said, I had wholly dedicated the 
silver unto the Lord from my 
hand for my son, to b make a 
graven image and a molten 
image : now therefore I will re- 
store it unto thee. 



bSee Ex.20. 4, 23. 



or put under oath all the family to 
discover the money. It is not un- 
likely that Micah, hearing this, was 
alarmed and restored the money, 
lest the curses should fall on him. 
Although not sufficiently restrained 
by moral principle to forbear the 
theft, yet his conscience had not 
yet become so hardened as to alk>w 
him to keep what he had stolen in 
despite of his mother's imprecations. 
This shows that he was a novice, 
and not a veteran, in sin; as other- 
wise he would not have scrupled to 
deny, excuse, or defend it, as he 
saw fit. 

3. I had wholly dedicated the silver 
unto the Lord. A striking illustra- 
tion of the mistaken ideas which 
had arisen in Israel, and which gra- 
dually led them on to downright 
idolatry. Micah and his mother 
seem to have intended to honor the 
true God by their proceedings, which 
were nevertheless so contrary to the 
law, as really to expose them to be 
punished by death. What they did 
seems to have been to set up a little 
religious establishment similar to 
that at Shiloh, with an imitation of 
the ark, cherubim, priestly dresses, 
&c, and finally crowning the whole 
by obtaining a Levite to officiate as 
priest; and all the while they 
thought they were doing God ser- 
vice! So blind and deluded in all 
ages have been those who hare add- 
ed their human inventions to God's 
perfect system of worship. c If re- 
ligion might be judged according 
to the (professed) intention, there 
should scarce be any idolatry in the 
world.' Bp. HalL IT Now there 



JUDGES. 



fA. C. 1406, 



4 Yet he restored the money 
unto his mother ; and his mother 
c took two hundred shekels of 
silver, and gave them to the 
founder, who made thereof a 
graven image and a molten 
image : and they were in the 
house of Micah. 

5 And the man Micah had 



fore I will restore it unto thee. The 
apparent confusion in what is said 
in this and the ensuing verse of the 
* restoring' of the money, affords no 
little plausibility to the rendering of 
this clause proposed by Schmid, 'And 
then 1 will restore it unto thee,' i. e. 
after it has passed through the hands 
of the founder and been converted 
to the proposed images. Of these it 
would seem from the letter of the 
text that there were two, one sculp- 
tured of wood or stone, and then 
plated with silver, the other made of 
the solid metal cast in a mould. The 
original however will perhaps ad- 
mit of the rendering, 'a graven 
image, even a molten image ;' i. e. 
an image in the first place graven 
or sculptured, and then molten, or 
spread over with a layer of silver. 
The latter we think the preferable 
sense, especially as in ch. 18. 30, 31, 
mention is made only of the graven 
image, and in the final clause of v. 
4, of this chapter, it is said in the 
original, * And it ivas in the house 
of Micah, 5 though in our version 
arbitrarily and erroneously render- 
ed, ' And they were in the house. 5 It 
will be remarked, moreover, that 
she appropriated only two hundred 
out of the eleven hundred shekels to 
this purpose, which would hardly 
have been sufficient for the con- 
struction of even one image of any 
size ; whereas if the silver were em- 
ployed in plating or gilding, the 
quantity would have been ample for 
a good sized statue. The remain* 
ing nine hundred shekels were pro- 
bably laid out in the procurement of 



a house of gods, and made an 
d ephod, and e teraphim, and con- 
secraled one of his sons, who be- 
came his priest. 

6 f In those days there was no 
king in Israel, shut every man 
did that which was right in his 
own eyes. 

7 11 And there was a young 

d ch 8. 27. e Gen. 31 19, 30. Hoa. 3. 4. f ch* 
18. 1. & 19 1. & 21. 2-5. Deut. 33. 5. g Dent. 12. 8- 

various other articles necessary to 
complete their sacred apparatus,, 
particularly the ephod andteraphim. 

5. And the man Micah had a house 
of gods. Heb. ' and as to the man 
Micah, there was to him a house of 
God, 5 as the closing phrase may be 
rendered. It is spoken of as the re- 
sult of the whole transaction; q. d. 

' Thus they managed the matter, 
and lo! the man. the humble indi- 
vidual, Micah, became possessed of 
a house of God, a sanctuary!' im- 
plying not that it was really such, 
but that it was such in his estima- 
tion. The w 7 ords convey a latent 
touch of sarcasm or irony, and 
ought properly to constitute a period 
by themselves; the next clause would 
then begin with the repetition of the 
person, 'and he made,' &c, i. e. 
procured to be made. Of the Ephod,. 
see on Ex. 28. 4 ; of the Teraphim, 
on Gen.21. 19, 30; and of the import 
of the Heb. word for 'consecrate/ 
Ex. 29. 9, 41. Lev. 7. 37. 

6. In those days there was no king 
in Israel, &c. Intimating the reason 
to which it was owing that such 
gross enormities as those here men- 
tioned should have occurred. There 
was no king, judge, or controllings 
power to take cognizance of them ; 
no one to give orders for destroying 
the images; no one to convince 
Micah of his error and guilt in 
making them, or to punish his of- 
fence; no one, in fine, to arrest in 
the outset an evil which was likely 
to spread and infect the whole na- 
tion. ' Every man did that which 
was right in his own eyes, and theu 



A, G. 14060 

man out of h Beth-lehem-judah of 
the family of Judah, who was a 
Levite, and he sojourned there. 

8 And the man departed out 
of the city from Beth-lehem-ju- 
dah, to sojourn where he could 
find a place : and he came to 
mount Ephraim to the house of 
Micah, as he journeyed. 

9 And Micah said unto hirn, 
Whence comest thou? And he 



CHAPTER XVII. 



367 



h See Josh. 19- 15. ch. 19. I. 
5.2. Matt. 2. 1, 5, 6 



Ruth 1. 1, 2. Mic- 



they soon did that which was evil in 
the sight of the Lord.' Henry. IT 
Did that which was right in his own 
i eyes. The original term y^ V a ~ 
shar, is the same as that applied by 
Samson, ch. 13. 3, to the Philistine 
woman whom he urged his parents 
to procure for him, ' She is right 
in my eyes,' on which see note. 

7. A young man of Bethlehem-Ju- 
dah. So called to distinguish it from 
another Bethlehem in the tribe of 
Zebulun. Josh. 19. 15. IT Of the 
family of Judah. This is doubtless 
to be understood, not of the young 
man, but of the city. He was of that 
city Bethlehem which pertained to 
the family (i. e. tribe) of Judah, thus 
distinguishing the place with still 
greater accuracy. Otherwise the 
words are scarcely intelligible ; for 
how could a Levite be at the same 
time of the family of Judah 1 HAnd 
he sojourned there. Sojourned rather 
than permanently dwelt; for Beth- 
lehem was not a Levitical city, and 
therefore not the appropriate resi- 
dence of one of the priestly tribe. 
But it is probable that a good deal of 
liberty was allowed in this respect, 
and that especially in times of gen- 
eral laxness and confusion, the Le- 
vites were dispersed in a very irre- 
gular manner over every part of the 
land. 

8. And the man departed, &c. 
Prompted either by fancied neces- 
sity from the difficulty of obtaining 
a livelihood, or by the impulse of a 
roving mind ; or rather perhaps from 



said unto him, I am a Levite of 
Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to 
sojourn where 1 may find a 
place. 

10 And Micah said unto him, 
Dwell with me, *and be unto me 
a k father and a priest, and I will 
give thee ten shekels of silver by 
the year, and a suit of apparel, 
and thy victuals. So the Levite 
went in. 



kGen.'45. 8. Job 29. 16. 



the influence of both these causes 
combined. The times were un- 
doubtedly sadly degenerate and the 
whole Levitical order reduced to 
straits, yet it is scarcely conceivable 
that a Levite, for whom the law had 
made such express provision, Deut. 
12. 19, saying, ' Take heed to thyself 
that thou forsake not the Levite as 
long as thou livest upon the earth,' 
should actually have been forced to 
wander for a maintenance. It was 
probably rather owing to a native 
waywardness of disposition. Nor is 
there any thing related of this in- 
dividual calculated to shield him 
from such an imputation. IT He 
caine to the house of Micah , as he 
journeyed. Heb. ' to make his way.' 
That is, without the design of tarry- 
ing. He merely ' turned aside as a 
wayfaring man to tarry for a night,' 
and contrary to his expectation 
found an opening of which he rash- 
ly concluded to avail himself. 

10. Be unto me a father and a 
priest. That is, be unto me a father 
even r a priest, a spiritual father, a 
teacher, guide, or overseer in reli- 
gious things; in which sense the 
word, ' father,' repeatedly occurs in 
the sacred writers. See 2 Kings 6. 
21.— 8. 9.— 13. 4. Is. 22. 21. ' He 
pretends reverence and submission 
to him, and what is wanting in 
wages, he pays him in empty titles.' 
Poole, U A suit of apparel, Heb. 
* an order of garments ;' Coeceius, 
c 'a fitting out of garments,' i. e. such 
as would be suitable to wear on or- 



368 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



11 And the Levite was con- 
tent to dwell with the man ; and 
the young man was unto him as 
one of his sons. 

12 And Micah ^consecrated 
the Levite ; and the young man 



dinary occasions, and such as he 
should need in his official ministra- 
tions. IT So the Levite went in. By 
no means the exact import of the ori- 
ginal, which is *r^i and he went or 

walked, whereas the appropriate term 
for ' went in' is a^-H. They w T ere 
doubtless already in the house, when 
the bargain was concluded. Either 
the sense given to the words by 
Jarchi, { And he went after his coun- 
sels,' i. e. Micah's; or that assigned 
by Kimchi. ' And he went about the 
duties of his office* conies undoubt- 
edly much nearer the scope of the 
writer. For the use of ' walk' in the 
sense of ministerial service, see 
1 Sam. 2. 30, 35. and also note on 
Gen. 5. 22. 

11. The Levite was content to dwell. 
The original implies a peculiar com- 
placency in dwelling with his em- 
ployer. Being kindly treated and 
receiving respectable wages for the 
times, he thought himself happy in 
lighting upon so eligible a situation. 

12. Consecrated the Levite. Heb. 
c filled his hand ;' furnished him wiih 
the proper offering which he was to 
present on his inauguration. The 
act, however, was wholly unlawful. 
Micah had no right even to under- 
take to set apart a person to the 
priestly office, nor had the Levite 
any right to think of accepting such 
a dignity, even had the occasion been 
lawful, for it appears from ch. 18. 
30, that this young man, whose name 
was Jonathan, was not of Aaron's 
family, but the son of Gershom, 
another branch of the same tribe. 

13. Now know I that the Lord will 
do me good, seeing, &c. Having 
provided an epitome of the taber- 
nacle, with models of its various fur- 
niture, such as the ark, the mercy- 



m became his priest, and was in 
the house of Micah. 

13 Then said Micah, Now 
know I that the Lord will do me 
good, seeing I have a Levite to 
my priest. 



seat, the cherubim, &c, and having 
procured the proper sacerdotal vest- 
ments, with a Levite to wear them 
and officiate, he takes it for granted 
that all will now be well, and that 
he may confidently expect the divine 
blessing. His delusion in this was 
very gross, and yet how strikingly 
does it represent the false confi- 
dences of ungodly men in every age. 
The fact of his having put away his 
son from the priesthood of his estab- 
lishment, and appointed one of the 
Levitieal order, seems to have ban- 
ished all his doubts and fears as to 
the issue, though his graven image 
still remained. In like manner, 
thousands flatter themselves that a 
partial reformation of conduct, or 
the correction of a single fault will 
atone for persisting in multitudes 
of others, and that a decent obser- 
vance of the prescribed forms of re- 
ligion will answer in the place of 
spirituality of mind and real purity 
of heart. Though they retain their 
idols, they will still cleave to their 
altar and priest, and, serving God 
according to such rules as they have 
laid down for themselves, have no 
fears but that all will be well with 
them both in this world and the next. 
And yet how often is it the case, 
that the very deeds of self- righteous- 
ness, in which they rely as com- 
mending them to God's favor, are 
precisely the ones which he most 
abhors, and which most effectually 
incur his wrath. Let us then re- 
nounce every vain confidence. Let 
us not promise ourselves exemp- 
tion from ill on the mere ground 
of external privileges, or sacred re- 
lations. The Jews could boast of 
having Abraham to their father, and 
the temple of God for their place of 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



369 



CHAPTER XVIII. 
TN a those days there was no 

king in Israel : and in those 
days b the tribe of the Danites, 
sought them an inheritance to 
dwell in ; for unto that day all 
their inheritance had not fallen 
unto thern among the tribes of 
Israel. 

2 And the children of Dan 
sent of their family five men 
from their coasts, men of valor 
from c Zorah, and from Eshtaol, 
d to spy out the land, and to 
search it; and they said unto 
them, Go, search the land : who 
when they came to mount 

a ch. 17. 6. A 21 25 b Josh. 19 47. c ch. 13. 
25. d Num. 13. 17. Josh. 2 1. 

worship, and esteem this a sufficient 
ground of hope, though living in 
constant violation of every known 
duty. Thus too it is ceriain that 
many from the fact of being born of 
pious parents, dwelling in praying 
families, enjoying a valuable min- 
istry, and being associated with the 
excellent of the earth, build a hope 
that all will be well with them, 
though they are heedless of cultiva- 
ting the graces of the Spirit, and 
of laying hold of eternal life. All 
such fancied security is but ex- 
emplifying the infatuation of Micah 
w r hen he said, ' Now know I that the 
Lord will do me good, seeing that I 
have a Levite to my priest.' 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1. In those days there was no king 
in Israel. That is, about the time 
mentioned in the preceding chapter, 
and not long after the death of Josh- 
ua. V The tribe of the Danites. 
Not the whole, but a part of this 
tribe, some families of it, to the num- 
ber of six hundred men of war with 
their households, v. i6, 21. ^Vnto 
that day all their inheritance had not 
fallen unto them among the tribes of 
Israel. Not but that the tribe of Dan 
32 



Ephraim,to the c house of Micah, 
they lodged there. 

3 When they were by the 
house of Micah, they knew the 
voice of the young man the 
Levite : and they turned in thith- 
er, and said unto him, Who 
brought thee hither? and what 
mokest thou in this place ? and 
what hast thou here ? 

4 And he said unto them, 
Thus and thus dealeth Micah 
with me, and hath f hired me, 
and I am his priest. 

5 And they said unto him, 
eAsk counsel, we pray thee, h of 
God, that we may know wheth- 

ech. 17 I. fch. 17. 10. gl Kings 22. 5. Is. 
30. 1. Hos. 4. 12. h See ch. 17. 5. & ver. 14. 

had had an inheritance assigned to 
I them as well as the other tribes. 
Josh. 19. 40, but up to this time they 
were not in the actual enjoyment of 
their possession. In consequence of 
their culpable remissness in expell- 
ing the old iiihabitants, they lost the 
advantages they might otherwise 
have gained over ihem, and not only 
so, but as appears from Josh. 19. 47, 
(where see note) a part of their ter- 
ritories had actually been wrested 
out of their hands, leaving them so 
straitened for room, that a portion of 
the tribe was indnced to migrate to 
a distant section of the land in quest 
of ampler accommodations. See a 
brief account of this, Josh. 19. 47. 

2. Men of valor. Heb. ' sons of 
valor.' IT They lodged there. Not 
in the house, but by it, as is evident 
from the next verse. IT Knew the 
voice of the young man. Either re- 
cognised him in this way as an old 
acquaintance, or perceived by his 
dialect, his mode of pronunciation, 
that although now residing at mount 
Ephraim he was yet of a different 
stock; for we have already seen that 
the Ephraimites had a pronunciation 
peculiar to themselves, ch. 12. 6. 
IT What makest thou ? Rather, what 



370 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



er our way which we go shall 
be prosperous. 

6 And the priest said unto 
them, »Go in peace: before the 
Lord is your way wherein ye 

i 1 Kings 22. 6. 

doest thou. IT What hast thou here ? 
Hast thou a family with thee, and 
what are thy means oi subsistence 1 

5. Ask counsel, I pray thee, of God. 
We see from this circumstance how 
deep was the degeneracy of the 
times. Had these men of Dan pos- 
sessed the spirit of true Israelites, 
they would have been indignant to 
learn that a rival sanctuary to that 
of Shiloh had been set up, and that 
a renegade Levite had sacrilegious- 
ly assumed the functions of the sac- 
red ohice. But the circumstance 
instead of giving rise to censure or 
remonstrance, seems rather to have 
ministered occasion for drawing out 
the latent idolatrous propensities of 
their own hearts. Probably con- 
scious of having neglected at the 
outset of their expedition to consult 
the Most High and implore his 
blessing, they determined to avail 
themselves of the professed oracle at 
hand, and learn from the Teraphim 
what they ought to have learned 
from the Urim. So much more 
prone is man's depraved nature to 
idolatrous superstition than to real 
piety. IT Whether our way which 
we go, &c. Whether our enter- 
prise which we have undertaken 
shall succeed. On this import of 
the word ' way,' as including not the 
journey only, but every thing per- 
taining it, see on ch. 4. 9. 

6. Go in peace. That is, go and 
prosper. This being strictly no 
more than the expression of a friend- 
ly ivish, did not commit his foresight 
as a prophet. ^[Your way is before 
the Lord. An ambiguous expres- 
sion, capable of being interpreted, 
according to the event, either in a 
good or bad sense, and thus bearing 
the equivocal character of the res- 
ponses of all the ancient heathen 



7 1T Then the five men de- 
parted, and came to k Laish, and 
saw the people that were therein, 
ihow they dwelt careless, alter 
the manner of the Zidcnians, 
quiet and secure ; and there was 



k Jobh. 19. 47. 



1 ver. 27, 2b. 



oracles. Its prevailing sense in the 
Scriptures is undoubtedly that of ap- 
probation on the part of God, and so 
in the present case he intended it 
should be understood. Yet it has 
not exclusively this import. When 
rigidly weighed it amounts only to 
the general truth elsewhere affirmed, 
that ; The ways of man are before 
the eyes of the Lord, and he pon- 
dereth all his goings.' If, therefore, 
the event should be propitious, he 
would of course gain the credit of a 
true prophet, whereas if it were ad- 
verse, he would at once take shelter 
under the ambiguity of the expres- 
sion. While we recognise the sub- 
tlety of Satan in this reply, we may 
still gather from the incident the 
importance of bespeaking the divine 
direction .and blessing at the outset 
of all our ways. We may go com- 
fortably and cheerfully forward in 
them, if they are only such as he 
approves. His smile is success, his 
frown disaster. 

7. Came to Laish. Made sanguine 
and confident by the Levite s pre- 
diction, they set forward on their 
journey and came to Laish, or Les- 
hem, as it is called by Joshua, 19. 47, 
and afterwards Dan, v. 29. The in- 
habitants of this place are supposed 
to have been a colony of the Zido- 
nians, or Sidonians,at,a very consid- 
erable distance from the parent 
country. II Dwelt careless after the 
manner of the Zidonians. The ha- 
bitual security of the Zidonians pro- 
bably arose mainly from their posi- 
tion and pursuits. They lived in a 
flourishing sea-port town and were 
chiefly addicted to commerce, and 
not being included in the seven de- 
voted nations of Canaan, they prob- 
ably give themselves but little con- 
cern about the wars and conquests 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



371 



no magistrate in the land, that 
might put them to shame in any 
thin»i ; and they were far from 
the Zidonians, and had no busi- 
ness with any man. 

8 And they came unto their 
brethren to n, Zorah and Eshtaol : 
and their brethren said unto 
them, What say ye ? 



9 And they said, n Arise, that 
we may go up against them : 
for we have seen the land, and 
behold, it is very good : and 
are ye °still? be not slothful to 
go, and to enter to possess the 
land. 

10 When ye go, ye shall 
come unto a people Psecure, and 



n Num. 13- 30. 
p ver 7. 27. 



Josh. 2. 23,24. ol Kings 22. 3. 



that were going on around them. 
In this respect the people of Laish 
resembled ihem. Conscious of no 
ill design themselves, and free 
from the apprehension of being mo- 
lested by others, they dwelt at ease 
in their rich and fertile valley, v. 28, 
their gates left open, and their walls 
neglected. But the grasping cupid- 
ity of man leaves nothing secure 
on earth, and the peaceful abodes 
of rural life are often visited by 
calamities that populous cities and 
the crowded marts of commerce 
would have more reason to dread. 
IT A r o magistrate in the la/ad, &c. 
Heb. 'no heir, or possessor, of re- 1 
straint.' It is not absolutely certain 
that what is here said of the people | 
of Laish is to be understood by way 
of reproach, as the original, ' heir of 
restraint,' may simply mean that 
there was no hereditary government 
exercised among them, but that they 
lived under a free republic, and yet 
so peaceably and harmoniously that 
there was no one disposed to 
* shame,' i. e. to injure, to vex, to 
put indignity upon, his neighbor or 
fellow citizen. And all this may be 
stated as mere matter of fact respect- 
ing their political condition, and 
perhaps with the design of intimat- 
ing the cruelty of the Danites in 
barbarously invading and putting to 
the sword such an inoffensive com- 
munity. At the same time, the evi- 
dence in favor of the common inter- 
pretation, which makes the words to 
convey a reflection upon the lawless 
and dissolute state of things among 
them, is perhaps still stronger, and 



we incline to abide by it. IT Were 
far from the Zidonians. Conse- 
quently far from succor in case of a 
sudden attack. IT Had no business 
with any man. No treaties of alli- 
ance, no commercial intercourse, no 
established connection of any kind. 
Dependingupon their own resources, 
and feeling little need of foreign 
luxuries, they lived in an insulated 
state in respect to the rest of the 
world. The words of themselves 
convey no impeachment of their 
character on the score of industry 
or activity, and yet taken in connec- 
tion with the whole passage, they 
may perhaps warrant the infeience 
drawn from them by most commen- 
tators, that the Laishites were an in- 
dolent and idle people. Still a posi- 
tive affirmation cannot be built upon 
the premises. 

9. Are ye still? Heb. 'silent-' 
i. e. inactive. On the peculiar use of 
Heb. terms for ' silence,' see on Josh. 
10. 12. The spirit of this report may 
be applied to a higher theme. Heav- 
en is a good land, made sure by pro* 
raise to all believers, and if we have 
a heart to travel thither, boldly fa- 
cing the dangers in the way, we shall 
find every want supplied for ever. 
Yet so insidious and powerful an 
enemy is sloth to the soul in its jour- 
ney heavenward, that we have need 
to exhort one another daily to arise 
and be doing. No one knows how 
much comfort he loses here, or how 
much glory hereafter, by sinful neg- 
ligence. 

10. Where there is no want of any 
thing that is in the earth. Probably 



372 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



to a large land : for God hath 
given it into your hands ; ^a 
place where there is no want of 
any thing that is in the earth. 

11 IF And there went from 
thence of the family of the Dan- 
ites, out of Zorah and out of 
Eshtaol, six hundred men ap- 
pointed with weapons of war. 

12 And they went up, and 
pitched in r Kirjath.jearim, in Ju- 
dah : wherefore they called that 
place s Mahaneh-dan unto this 
day : behold, it is behind Kirjath- 
jearim. 

13 And they passed thence 
unto mount Ephraim, and came 
unto Uhe house of Micah. 

1*4 IF "Then answered the 



q Dent 8. 9 r Josh. 15. 
u 1 Sam. 14. 28. 



s ch. 13. 25. t ver. 2. 



the more correct rendering is, 'in 
the land/ i. e. the land of Canaan. 
No part of the land of promise held 
out greater advantages; none was 
on any account more eligible. This 
is the usual sense of the original 

11. Of the family of the Danites. 
Meaning, of the tribe of the Danites ; 
the aggregate of the families ; col- 
lect, sing, for plur. as often before. 
IT Appointed with weapons of war. 
Heb. 'girded.' 

12. Pitched in Kirjath-jearim. 
Not in the city itself, but in its im- 
mediate vicinity, as is clear from 
the final clause. See on Josh. 10. 
10. SMahaneh-dan. That is, 'the 
camp of Dan-,' so called from the 
circumstance of this expedition en- 
camping there. By comparing eh. 
13. 25, it appears quite obvious that 
this transaction occurred previous 
to the days of Samson. IT Behind 
Kirjath-jearim. Westward of Kir- 
jath-jearim ; for as the face is always 
supposed to be turned to the east 
when the sacred writers speak of 
the points of the compass, the west 
of course falls behind one. Thus 



five men that went to spy out 
the country of Laish, and said 
unto their brethren, Do ye know 
that * there is in these houses an 
ephod, and teraphim, and a gra- 
ven image, and a molten image ? 
now therefore consider what ye 
have to do. 

15 And they turned thither, 
ward, and came to the house 
of the young man the Levite, 
even unto the house of Micah, 
and saluted him. 

16 And the ^six hundred men 
appointed with their weapons of 
war, whicn were of the children 
of Dan, stood by the entering of 
the gate. 

17 And z the five men that 

x ch. 17. 5. y ver. 11. z ver. 2, 14. 



Deut. 11. 24, the Mediterranean, or 
western) sea, is called the hindermost 
sea (yi'-in&n fc"pn)i as the east on 
the other hand^ is designated by a 
term (Dip kedem) which has the 
sense of before or anterior. 

14. Then answered. Then spake. 
An idiom both of the Hebrew and 
the Greek, by which this word is 
used f ( r addressed, accosted. See 
1 Kings 1. 28. Ezra 10. 2. Is. 14. 10. 
IT Consider what ye have to do. Con- 
sider what ye shall do; it is a point 
worth deliberating whether this 
priest and his oracle, of the truth of 
whose responses we have had ex- 
perience, will not be a valuable ac- 
quisition to us in our new settle- 
ment. Their subsequent actions are 
the best commentary on these words. 

15. And saluted him. Heb c asked 
him of peace;' i. e. inquired respect- 
ing his welfare, which is usually ex- 
pressed by the levm. peace. See Gen. 
43. 27. Ex. 18. 7. 

17. The five men — came in thither. 
Entered into what might be called 
the sanctuary, the chapel, of Micah's 
house. From its being said that 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



373 



went to spy out the land went 
up, and came in thither, and 
took *the graven image, and the 
ephod, and the teraphim, and the 
molten image : and the priest 
stood in the entering of the gate 
with the six hundred men tJiat 
were appointed with weapons of 
war. 

18 And these went into Mi- 
cah's house, and fetched the car- 
ved image, the ephod, and the 
teraphim, and the molten image. 
Then said the priest unto them, 
What do ye ? 

19 And they said unto him, 
Hold thy peace, b lay thy hand 



a eh. 17. 4, 5. b Job. 21. 5. & 29. 9. & 40 4 
Prov. o0. 32 Mic 7. 16. 



they 'went up' (i^sn) for this pur- 
pose, Rosenmuller conjectures that 
it was an upper apartment, and ad- 
duces Dan. 6. 10, in confirmation. 
IT The priest stood in the entering of 
tke gate. Where the other party no 
doubt detained and held him in talk, 
while their comrades effected the 
abduction of the gods with all their 
appurtenances, ' See what little care 
this sorry priest took of his gods; 
while he was sauntering at the gate, 
his treasure (such as it was) was 
gone. See how impotent these 
wretched gods were, that could not 
keep themselves from being stolen. 5 
Henry. The whole scene, including 
the conduct of all parties, is a singu- 
lar mixture of the impious and the 
ludicrous. 

18. These went into Micdtis house. 
The five men mentioned above went 
id, while the six hundred armed 
men stood at the gate. 

19. Lay thy hand upon thy mouth. 
A well known token of silence 
among all nations. Comp. Job 21. 5. 
Prov. 30. 32. 

19. That thou be a priest unto a 

tribe and a family in Israel. That 

is, 'to a tribe, even a collection of 

families.' From the narrated facts 

32* 



upon thy mouth, and go with us 
c and be to us a father and a 
priest : Is it better for thee to be 
a priest unto the house of one 
man, or that thou be a priest un- 
to a tribe and a family in Israel? 

20 And the priest's heart was 
glad, and he took the ephod, and 
the teraphim, and the graven im- 
age, and went in the midst of the 
people. 

21 So they turned and depar- 
ted, and put thje little ones, and 
the cattle, and the carriage be- 
fore them. 

22 1T And when they were a 
good way from the house of Mi- 



of the case it is evident that a whole 
tribe could not have been intended. 

20. The priest's heart icas glad. 
Swayed wholly by self-interest and 
unmindful of the claims of gratitude 
and of truth, he forsakes his former 
employer merely from the motives 
of covetousness and ambition. But 
who can be surprised to find him 
false and treacherous to men who 
has been convicted of the grossest 
perfidy towards God ? IT Went in 
the midst of the people. Or, Heb. 
1 went into the midst of the people.' 
Took his place in the centre of the 
company, both to secure him from 
the pursuit of Micah, and in imita- 
tion of the order of Israel's march 
through the wilderness, in which 
the ark and the priests moved in the 
middle of the host. 

20. The carriage be fore them. Heb. 
fiTO^ kebudah, the weight, i. e. the 
luggage or baggage, the various 
moveables which a body of emi- 
grants would naturally carry with 
them. No allusion whatever is had 
to wheel-carriages, as these vehicles, 
even to this day, are entirely un- 
known as a means of travelling in 
that country. The arrangement 
here mentioned was a precautionary 



374 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 140 6 



cah, the men that were in the 
houses near to Micah 's house 
were gathered together, and 
overtook the children of Dan. 

23 And they cried unto the 
children of Dan. And they 
turned their faces, and said unto 
Micah, What aileth thee, that 
thou comest with such a com- 
pany '? 

24 And he said, Ye have ta- 
ken away my gods which I made, 

measure designed to guard against 
the consequences of an attack on the 
part of Micah, which, should he see 
fit to make one, would naturally be 
upon the rear. 

23. What aileth thee, that thou 
comest with such a company 1 Heb. 
' what to thee, that thou aft gathered 
together V An individual of course 
could not be said to be ' gathered to- 
gether;' but the Heb. idiom by 
which the leader or head of a multi- 
tude is put for the multitude itself, 
is of very frequent occurrence. See 
note on Gen. 14. 15. 

24. Ye have taken aivay my gods, 
which Imade, &c. That is, the whole 
apparatus of my images, teraphim, 
&c. made as representatives of di- 
vine things, and symbols of the di- 
vine presence. With all his gross 
superstition, it is not conceivable 
that a native Israelite should have 
become at this time so besotted by 
his idolatrous propensities as to sup- 
pose that the fabrication of his own 
hands was really the great Jehovah 
that made heaven and earth. IT 
What have I more. What have you 
left me worth having, compared Avith 
the image and the priest of which 
you have so perfidiously deprived 
me 1 Such ardent, but infatuated 
and wicked zeal could Micah evince 
in respect to the objects of his idol- 
atry. How many that bear the 
name of Christians are shamed by 
such an instance of deep but guilty 
devotion % How lightly do they 
bear the loss or the absence of the 



and the priest, and ye are gone 
away : and what have I more ? 
and what is this that ye say 
unto me, What aileth thee? 

25 And the children of Dan 
said unto him, Let not thy voice 
be heard among us, lest angry 
fellows run upon thee, and thou 
lose thy life, with the lives of thy 
household. 

26 And the children of Dan 
went their way : and when Mi- 
most precious spiritual privileges 
compared with that of their worldly 
possessions 1 It is when they are 
bereft of these, and not of the light of 
God's countenance and the hidden 
joys of the Spirit, that they exclaim, 
What have I more 1 

25. Lest angry fellows. Heb. 'men 
bitter of spirit.' The genuine lan- 
guage of lawless banditti, who an- 
swer the plea of right, with no other 
argument than the exhibition of su- 
perior might. By this we are re- 
minded, (1.) That they who dare to 
commit theft will be easily induced, 
if needful to secure their ill-gotten 
spoil, to commit murder also. (2.) 
That where power is with unprin- 
cipled oppressors, to complain of in- 
justice is often only to provoke far- 
ther injury. 

26. He turned and went hack unto 
his house. It is to be hoped, a wiser 
and better man; having now had 
experimental proof of the vanity of 
the idols with which he is compelled 
to part. But whatever the event 
may have taught him, it is pregnant 
with instruction to us. In the straits 
to which Micah was driven, we per- 
ceive a striking illustration of the 
issue of the fatal delusions of ungod- 
ly men. Their false confidences 
will be abolished, their refuges of 
lies all swept away. The religion in 
which they now so sanguinely trust 
will be proved a baseless fabric. 
No foundation will then stand but 
that which God himself has laid, nor 
will any superstructure endure but 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



375 



cah saw that they were too strong 
for him, he turned and went back 
unto his house. 

27 And they took the things 
which Micah had made, and the 
priest which he had, and d came 
unto Laish, unto a people that 
were at quiet and secure : e and 
and they smote them with the 
edge of the sword, and burnt the 
city with fire. 

28 And there was no deliv- 
erer, because it was f far from 

d ver. 7, 10. Deut. 33. 22. e Josh. 19. 47. f >er. 7' 



Zidon, and they had no business 
with any man ; and it was in the 
valley that lieth°hy Beth-rehob. 
And they built a city, and dwelt 
therein. 

29 And h they called the name 
of the city »Dan, alter the name 
of Dan their father, who was 
born unto Israel : howbeit the 
name of the city was Laish at 
the first. 

30 H And the children of Dan 
set up the graven image : and 

g Num. 13. 21. 2 Sam. 10.6. h Josh. 19 47. iG«n. 
Y i. 14. ch. 20. 1. 1 Kings 12. 29, 30. & 15. 20- 



that which is able to abide a fiery 
ordeai. The law which they were 
disposed to reduce to their own 
standard will then be found to be 
immutable, and the religion of the 
Bible, which in its true sense they 
have rejected, the only means of a 
sinner's acceptance with God. Their 
forced interpretations of the sac- 
red text, and their self-complacent 
schemes of salvation will avail 
them nothing. As a necessary con- 
sequence, their destitution and mis- 
ery will then be" complete. ' Ye 
have taken away my gods, and what 
have I left V may then be consider- 
ed as the bitter lamentation of every 
deluded soul. In vain now is the 
ready plea, ' I thought I was right.' 
Why did they rest in vain conjec- 
tures ^ Why' did they presume to 
substitute a system of their own in 
place of thatw T hich God had reveal- 
ed'? Why would they not submit 
to be saved in God's own way 1 Al- 
as ! it is now too late to rectify their 
error. They have gone down to dark- 
ness ' leaning on a lie,' They have 
walked in the light of the sparks 
wrhich they themselves have kindled, 
and as a recompense in the same, 
they lie down in sorrow. Let us away 
then with all systems of man's de- 
vice in the great matter of salvation. 
Let us at once and cordially embrace 
the whole true gospel of the grace 
of God, and we have a portion of 



which we can never be robbed. 
Who can spoil us of our God 7 or 
what can we want if w 7 e have him 
for our friend'? 

27. Came unto Laish , unto a peo- 
ple, &c. Rather, came upon Laish 
(^5? not V^) } upon a people ; i. e. in 
a hostile manner, making a fierce 
attack upon them. IT Burnt the 
city with fire. That is, probably, a 
part of it not the whole ; as the 
phrase clearly implies elsewhere. 
See on Josh. 8. 8. This measure 
was doubtless adopted to strike a 
greater terror into the inhabitants, 
and to make their conquest more se- 
cure. 

28. And they built a city. Heb. 
' and they built the city ;' i. e. rebuilt 
it; or at least so much of it as was 
destroyed by the fire. 

29. Called the name of the city Dan. 
To be a witness for them that they 
were Danites by birth, though re- 
moved to so great a distance from 
their brethren. As this fact might 
possibly in after times be called in 
question, they would make the very 
name of their place a ground on 
which to establish their claim to re- 
lationship. ' We should be con- 
cerned not to lose the privilege of 
our relation to God's Israel, and 
therefore should take all occasionsto 
own it, and preserve the remem- 
brance of it to ours after us.' Henry* 
This city became afterwards very 



376 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



Jonathan, the son of Gershom, 
the son of Manasseh, he and his 
sons were priests to the tribe of 



remarkable as one of the extremities 
of the promised land. The extent 
of the Israelitish territory from its 
northern to its southern border was 
generally expressed by the phrase, 
1 From Dan to Beersheba.' 

30. Tke children of Dan set up the 
graven image. Thus was idolatry 
first publicly established in Israel. 
It began in the tribe and city of Dan, 
from which it gradually spread like 
an evil contagion, and though 
checked from time to time by pious 
rulers, yet it eventually infected 
nearly the whole nation. As a mark 
of the divine indignation towards the 
prime agents of this wickedness, 
Lightfoot suggests that in the mys- 
tical sealing of the tribes mentioned 
Rev. 7, that of Dan is entirely omit- 
ted. It may also be supposed that 
having had the precedent now set, 
Jeroboam was encouraged after- 
wards to establish the idolatrous 
worship of one of his golden calves 
at this very place. IT Jonathan, the 
son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh. 
It is conjectured by many expositors 
that instead of Manasseh (rrojjfc) the 
true reading is Moses (nti;ft)> which 
differs it will be perceived only by a 
single letter; and this letter (2), it is 
supposed, the Jews have interpolated 
in order to save the credit of their 
great lawgiver and prophet. The 
singular name of Gershom, the name 
of one of Moses' sons and the date of 
the transaction concur, it is said, in 
establishing this view. Accordingly 
the Vulgate and some copies of the 
Septuagint actually exhibit the name 
of ' Moses' instead of c Manasseh.' 
The interpolation, however, has 
been very timidly executed. The 
letter 3 was originally placed above 
the line of the other letters (as it now 
appears in the printed Hebrew 
Bibles,) as if rather to suggest, than 
to make an alteration ; but in process 
of time the letter sunk down into the 



Dan k until the day of the captiv- 
ity of the land. 

31 And they set them up Mi- 
le ch. 13. 1. 1 Sam. 4. 2, 3, 10, 11. Ps. 78. 60, 61. 



body of the word. The Hebrew 
writers themselves admit this; and 
say that the intention was to veil 
this disgrace in the house of Moses, 
by suggesting a figurative descent of 
Jonathan from Manasseh, the idol- 
atrous king of Judah irho lived about 
eight hundred years afterwards / Bp. 
Patrick and others are disposed to 
rank this among the idle conceits of 
the Jewish critics, but for ourselves, 
without positively adopting the opin- 
ion, we think it by no means improb- 
able. The most excellent charac- 
ters are often but badly represented 
by their descendants. Children are 
not always the crown of old men, 
any more than fathers are always the 
glory of their children. The point, 
however, is one of little importance. 
IF Until the day of the captivity of the 
land. Probably the captivity of the 
ten tribes by Shalmaneser king of 
Assyria. If so, this passage is to be 
considered as an addition made by a 
later hand, of which there are nu- 
merous acknowledged instances in 
the books of the Old Testament. 

31. All the time that the house of 
God was in Shilo. Not that its con- 
tinuance there was limited to the 
period now specified, as this would 
be inconsistent with what is affirmed 
in the preceding verse ; but it seems 
to be stated as a remarkable and dis- 
creditable fact, that even during all 
the time that the true tabernacle and 
altar were standing at Shilo, and not- 
withstanding the reforming efforts 
of all the Judges, yet here was a 
rival establishment of an idolatrous 
character subsisting in the face of 
adl the injunctions made against it f 
Probably the remote situation of Dan 
on the extreme borders of the coun- 
try put it in a measure out of the 
reach of those influences which 
would otherwise have gone to extir- 
pate the abominations which it cher- 
ished. 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XIX. 



377 



cah's graven image which he 
made, »all the time that the house 
of God was in Shiloh. 

CHAPTER XIX. 
A ND it came to pass in those 
-^- days, a when there was no 
king in Israai, that there was a 
certain Levite sojourning on the 
side of mount Ephraim, who took 
to him a concubine out of b Beth- 
lehem judah. 

2 And his concubine played 
the whore against him, and went 
away from him unto her father's 
house to Beth-lehem-judah, and 
was there four whole months. 

3 And her husband arose, and 
went after her, to speak friendly 
unto her, and to bring her again, 
having his servant with him, and 
a couple of asses : and she 
brought him into her father's 
house : and when the father of 
the damsel saw him, he rejoiced 
to meet him. 

1 Josh. 18. 1. ch 19. 18. & 21. 12. a ch. 17. 6. & 
18. 1. & 21. 25. b ch. 17. 7. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

1. And it came to pass, &c. The 
tragical tale that follows seems to be 
inserted here in order to afford a 
melancholy illustration of the dis- 
orders which sprung from the lack 
of due restraint. In the absence of 
an efficient magistracy, confusion 
and every evil work prevailed. TT 
Took to him a concubine. Heb. £ a 
woman, a concubine,' or ' a wife, a 
concubine;' or, as Geddes renders 
it, ' a concubine-wife ;' i. e. a lawful 
but a secondary wife ; as in v. 3, he 
is expressly called her ' husband, ' 
and v. 4. her father his father-in- 
law. Such connections were not 
disreputable in those times, being 
tolerated in the law and counten- 
anced by the practice of the best of 



4 And his father-in-law, the 
damsel's father, retained him ; 
and he abode with him three 
days : so they did eat and drink, 
and lodged there. 

5 IF And it came to pass on 
the fourth day, when they arose 
early in the morning, that he 
rose up to depart : and the dam- 
sel's father said unto his son-in- 
law, c Comfort thy heart with a 
morsel of bread, and afterward 
go your way. 

6 And they sat down, and did 
eat and drink both of them to- 
gether : for the damsel's father 
had said unto the man, Be con- 
tent, I pray thee, and tarry all 
night, and let thy heart be 
merry. 

7 And when the man rose up 
to depart, his father-in-law urged 
him ; therefore he lodged there 
again. 

8 And he arose early in the 
morning on the fifth day to de- 



men. It is a great mistake to con- 
ceive of a concubine as a harlot. 

3, To speak friendly unto her. 
Heb. 'to speak to her heart;' that is, 
to conciliate her affection, to re- 
kindle her tenderness, and to entreat 
her to return to the home she had 
left cheerless. Comp. Gen. 34. 3.^ 
50.21. Ruth 2 13. The phrase is 
commonly applied to speaking com- 
fortably to one that is in distress or 
sorrow, and may perhaps here im- 
ply that the woman was penitent 
and grieved for her offences. U Re- 
joiced to meet him. Hoping that now 
a complete reconciliation would be 
effected between his daughter and 
her husband. 

4. And lodged there. That is, the 
Levite and his servant. It would 



378 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



part : and the damsel's father 
said, Comfort thy heart, I pray 
thee. And they tarried until af. 
ternoon, and they did eat both of 
them. 

9 And when the man rose up 
to depart, he, and his concubine, 
and his servant, his father-in-law 
the damsel's father, said unto 
him, Behold, now the day draw- 
eth toward evening, I pray you 
tarry all night ; behold, the day 
groweth to an end, lodge here, 
that thy heart may be merry ; and 
to-morrow get you early on your 
way, that thou mayest go home. 

10 But the man would not 
tarry that night, but he rose up 



scarcely be said of the father-in-law 
that he lodged in his own house. 

5. Comfort thine heart with a mor- 
sel of bread. Heb. ' strengthen thine 
heart;' i e. refresh thy spirits. 

8 They tarried until afternoon. 
Heb. ' till the day declined.' The 
original for * tarried' (irflantor-fi) 
implies a reluctant delay, a forced 
compliance with urgent solicitations, 
and the issue of the affair teaches 
us very impressively the danger, 
as well as the weakness of suf- 
fering ourselves to be overcome 
by pressing importunity against the 
convictions of our better judgment. 
The hospitable entertainment and 
agreeable society of friends is indeed 
a strong inducement to protract a 
visit, but no man should forget that 
he has calls at home of paramount 
claim, and that there is a limit be- 
yond which complaisance is at war 
with duty, and where we should 
turn a deaf ear to the most urgent 
requests. The warm-hearted and 
friendly entertainer too should re- 
member that his intended kindness 
when too far urged may prove a 
real injury to its objects, and should 



and departed, and came over 
against d Jebus, which is Jerusa- 
lem : and there were with him 
two asses saddled, his concubine 
also was with him. 

11 And when they were by 
Jebus, the day was far spent ; 
and the servant said unto his 
master, Come I pray thee, and 
let us turn in unto this city e of 
the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 

12 And his master said unto 
him, We will not turn aside 
hither into the city of a stranger, 
that is not of the children of Isra- 
el ; we will pass over f to Gib- 
eah. 

13 And he said unto his ser- 

d Josh. 18. 28. • Josh. 15. 8, 63. ch. 1. 21. 2 Sara. 
5.6. f Josh. 18. 28. 

therefore moderate its promptings 
by reason and religion. It is alto- 
gether probable that the fearful ca- 
lamity which overtook this unfor- 
tunate couple would have been 
avoided had they been less urged, 
or, when urged, had they acted with 
more decision. 

9. The day draweth towards even- 
ing. Heb. ' the day is weak, is be- 
come relaxed, remitteth itself.' The 
phrase points to a time of day the 
opposite of what is termed, Gen 29. 
7, ' high day,' i. e. the hour when 
the heat of the day has attained its 
utmost intensity, when it has reach- 
ed the meridian. IT The day grow- 
eth to an end. Heb. ui^n frl3Tl ' ^ 
is the pitching time of day ;' i. e. it 
is near the time when travellers or- 
dinarily pitch their tents and take 
up their lodging for the night. IT 
Mayest go home. Heb. ' to thy tent/ 

12. Into the city of a stranger. 
That is, of a strange or foreign peo- 
ple ; for though the city of Jerusa- 
lem had been before taken by Caleb, 
ch. 1. 8, yet the stTong-hold of Zion. 
was still in the hands of the Jebu- 
sites, who were not fully dispossess- 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XIX. 



379 



vant, Come, and let us draw 
near to one of these places to 
lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in 
eRamah. 

14 And they passed on and 
went their way ; and the sun 
went down upon them when they 
were by Gibeah, which belongeth 
to Benjamin. 

15 And they turned aside 
thither, to go in and to lodge in 
Gibeah : and when he went in, 
he sat him clown in a street of 
the city : for there icas no man 
that Hook them into his house to 
lodging. 

g Josh. 18. 25. h Matt. 25. 43. Heb 13 2. 

ed till the days of David. The event, 
howe er, showed that he could 
scarcely have fared worse, among 
the most barbarous hordes of Ca- 
naanites than he did among his own 
brethren. In all probability he 
would have done better to have fol- 
lowed his servant's advice. 

13. In Gibeah or in Ramah. These 
places were both north or rather 
north-west from Jerusalem, and dis- 
tant, the former about four miles, 
the latter about six. 

15. No man that took them into his 
house to lodging. Heb. eji^ *p& 
£]0&72 no man gathering. On the 

expressive import of this phrase see 
on Josh. 6. 9. It seems that up to 
this time no caravansaries or inns, 
in which travellers now obtain lodg- 
ings in the East, existed. At least 
we have met with no certain traces 
of the existence of such accommoda- 
tions. Strangers, therefore, relied 
entirely on private hospitality for 
entertainment in the places to which 
they came, as is still the case in 
many parts of the East. Under 
these circumstances such an inhos- 
pitable reception as that which the 
Levite now experienced is of very 
rare occurrence, and can only be 
explained on the ground of the pre- 



16 IT And behold, there came 
an old man from ihis work out 
of the field at even, which was 
also of mount Ephraim ; and he 
sojourned in Gibeah ; but the 
men of the place were Benja- 
mites. 

17 And when he had lifted up 
his eyes, he saw a wayfaring 
man in the street of the city : 
and the old man said, Whither 
goest thou ? and whence comest 
thou ? 

18 And he said unto him, We 
are passing from Beth-lehem-ju- 
dah toward the side of mount 



eminently vile and abandoned char- 
acter of the citizens of Gibeah. The 
general courteousness of the Orien- 
tals in this respect is well set forth 
in the language of Job, 31. 32. ' The 
stranger did not lodge in the street; 
but I opened my doors to the travel- 
ler.' 

lb. There came an old man from 
his work out of the field at even. Had 
all the inhabitants of Gibeah been of 
the stamp of this good old Israelite, 
in whom we see such a pleasing 
specimen of patriarchal times, as he 
returns at evening from his daily 
toil, so gross and horrid a deed of 
wickednesss would not have dis- 
graced their city. But it may well 
be doubted whether he were not the 
only laborer whom this evening 
brought home from the field, and as 
the virtues usually go together, ' he/ 
as Henry remarks, ' who was hon- 
estly diligent in his business all day, 
was disposed to be generously hos- 
pitable to these poor strangers at 
nis;ht.' IT Which was also of mount 
Ephraim. ' Gibeah was a second Sod- 
om ; even there also is another Lot ; 
which is therefore so much more hos- 
pitable to strangers, because himself 
was a stranger. The host, as well 
as the Levite, is of mount Ephraim; 
each man knows best to commis- 



380 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



Ephraim ; from thence am I : 
and I went to Beth-lehem-judah, 
but I am now going to k the house 
of the Lord ; and there is no 
man that receiveth me to house. 
19 Yet there is both straw 
and provender for our asses ; 

k Josh. 18. 1. ch. 18 3\. & 20. 18. 1 Sam. 1. 3, 7. 



erate that evil in others which him- 
self hath passed through. All that 
profess the name of Christ are coun- 
trymen and yet strangers here below. 
How cheerfully should ve enter- 
tain each other, when we meet in 
the Gibeah of this inhospitable 
world.' By. Hall. 

18. No man that receiveth me to 
house. Heb. ^ri"^ ClD&fc &&& gath- 
ethme; the same phrase with that 
above, v. 15. 

19. Both straw and yrovender, &c. 
Intimating that it was not necessary 
for him to tax the hospitality of any 
one except for lodging. He had 
abundance of provision of his own, 
both for himself and his asses. In 
entering upon a journey, the Orien- 
tals lay in a supply of food for the 
beasts with which they travel as well 
as for themselves. This food is of 
different kinds. They make little 
or no hay in these countries, and are 
therefore very careful of their straw, 
which they cut into small bits, with 
an instrument which at the same 
time threshes out the corn ; (grain) 
this chopped straw, with barley, 
beans, and balls made of bran and 
barley meal, or of the pounded ker- 
nels of dates, is what they feed them 
with. ' People (in the East) still 
carry provisions with them in a 
journey, even through a peopled 
country. No one calculates on ob- 
taining, unless in very great towns, 
more than house-room, with the 
chance of being able to buy bread 
and fruit. It is not certain that even 
bread can be procured, and not to 
leave the matter entirely to chance, 
the traveller usually takes from one 
great town to another, so much bread 
as will serve him intermediately. If 



and there is bread and wine also 
for me, and for thy handmaid, 
and lor the young man which is 
with thy servants : there is no 
want of any thing. 

20 And the old man said, 
iPeace be with thee ; howsoever, 

1 Gen. 43. 23. ch. 6. 23. 

he desires better fare than he is like- 
ly thus to obtain, he takes with him 
cooking utensils, rice, vegetables, 
preserved meat, butter, &c, and at 
the resting place for the day has a 
warm meal prepared by a servant or 
himself, from his own stores and 
with his own utensils. We have 
known a single traveller accompa- 
nied by a mule, exclusively laden 
with his bedding, provisions, and 
cooking vessels. It is within the 
writer's own experience, that in a 
journey of more than a fortnight 
through a comparatively well-peo- 
pled part of Western Asia, it was 
not possible more than twice (in two 
great towns) to obtain other food than 
bread and fruit, and often this not 
without much difficulty, and some- 
times not at all.' (Pict. Bible. 

20. Let all thy wants lie uyon me. 
This is not inconsistent with the 
Levite's assertion in the preceding 
verse that there was 'no want of any 
thing.' The original signifies de- 
fect, lack, and the Levite said, that 
although he was supplied with every 
thing else, yet he did lack a lodging 
place. His kind entertainer here 
tells him to dismiss all care, for he 
would take it upon him to see that 
his deficiency in this and every other 
resyect should be supplied, q. d. 
Keep your bread and wine, your 
straw and provender for your own 
and your asses' use; you may need 
them before you finish your journey ; 
I will provide for all your wants 
this night; therefore do not think of 
lodging in the street.' This was gen- 
erosity worthy of an Israelite. TT 
Lodge not in the street. Unless they 
had bedding, which travellers often 
carry with them, this would not have 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XIX. 



381 



let all thy wants lie upon me ; 
m only lodge not in the street. 

21 "So he brought him into 
his house, and gave provender 
unto the asses : °and they washed 
their feet, and did eat and drink. 

21 IF Now as they were 
making their hearts merry, be- 
hold, Pthe men of the city, cer- 
tain <3sons of Belial, beset the 
house round about, and beat at 
the door, and spake to the mas- 
ter of the house, the old man, 
saying, r Bring forth the man 
that came into thy house, that 
we may know him. 

23 And s the man, the master 

m Gen 19 2. n Gen 24 32. & 43. 24. o Gen 
18.4. Jo i.. 13 5. pGn. 1* *. ch. 20 5. Hos. 
9. 9. & 10. 9. q Deut. 13. 13. rGen. 19. 5. Rom 
1. 26,27. b Gen. 13 6, 7. 

been convenient ; and it would be 
thought disgraceful to the character 
of a town, to allow a stranger accom- 
panied by his wife, to do so even 
then. But in other respects, lodging 
in the streets of a town, is a less sin- 
gular circumstance in the East than 
it would seem to us in England. 
When the Bedouin Arabs visit a 
town, they usually prefer sleeping ! 
at night in the street to sleeping in a 
house. So also, when a person walks 
through the streets of Malta in the 
nights of summer, he finds the foot- 
pavements obstructed by beds, occu- 
pied by married couples and single 
people. These belong to shop-keep- 
ers and others, who rent the ground- 
floors, and having no right to take 
their beds to the roof, bring them out 
into the street to enjoy the luxury of 
sleeping in the cool open air.' (Pied. 
Bible.) 

22 Making their hearts merry. 
Refreshing themselves with the pro- 
visions set before them. It does not 
necessarily convey the idea of ban- 
queting and revelry. IT Sons of 
Belial. Vile, abandoned, profligate 
fellows ; men lost to all sense of 
right, honor, and decency. See note 
33 



of the house, went out unto them , 
and said unto them, Nay, my 
brethren, nay, I pray you, do 
not so wickedly ; seeing that 
this man is come into my house, 
l do not this folly. 

24 u Behold, here is my daugh- 
ter, a maiden, and his concubine ; 
them I will bring out now, and 
x humble ye them, and do with 
them what seemeth good unto 
you : but unto this man do not 
so vile a thing. 

25 But the men would not 
hearken to him : so the man 
took his concubine, and brought 
her forth, unto them ; and they 



t2 Sam 13 12. 
Deut. 21. 14. 



on Deut. 13 13. IT Beat at the 
door. Rendered ' beat ' in order to 
imply something more than simply 
knocking. The origin 1 has the 
import of an earnest, eager, violent 
assault of the door. RBring forth 
the man, &c. This demand, and 
indeed the whole of the incidents 
here mentioned, have a striking re- 
semblance to the affair of Lot and the 
Sodomites. Under the ambiguous 
term ' know' these sons of Belial in 
each instance, convey a sense in the 
last degree abominable and brutal, 
and in each instance the father 
makes a proposal which the ex- 
tremest case could not justify. 

25. The man took his concubine, 
and brought her forth. The conduct 
of the Levite in this transaction is 
utterly inexplicable. His going 
after her to her father's house wouid 
indicate that he still cherished to- 
wards her a real affection, and h.e 
appears thus far along the joarney 
to have treated her with every kind- 
ness. Yet now in the hour of dan- 
ger, apparently to save his own life,, 
he determines to sacrifice her. He 
suffered her to be brought out and 
exposed to these fiends in human 



382 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



yknew her, and abused her all 
the night until the morning : and 
when the day began to spring, 
they let her go. 

26 Then came the woman in 
the dawning of the day, and fell 
down at the door of the man's 
house where her lord was, till it 
was light. 

27 And her lord rose up in 
the morning, and opened the 
doors of the house, and went out 
to go his way : and behold, the 

y Gen 4. 1. 

shape, while he, it would seem, se- 
cure from harm either sits down or 
lies down in calm indifference to her 
fate. We infer this from its not 
being intimated that he made the 
least inquiry respecting her during 
the night, but ' rose up' — (could it be 
from his bed 7) — 'in the morning, 
and opened the doors of the house, 
and went out to go his way,' as if he 
did not once think what had become 
of his unhappy companion, but de- 
signed to set forward alone ! It would 
seem that it was only by stumbling 
upon her lifeless corpse at the door 
that he was reminded of there being 
such a person either living or dead 
And even admitting he thought her 
alive as she lay prostrate on the 
ground, how unfeeling, how inhu- 
man his address ! ' Up, and let us be 
going.' Could he thus rudely accost 
a tender female who, for his sake, 
had submitted through the live-long 
night to the most savage brutalities, 
if he possessed the common feelings 
of a man'? Suppose he thought her 
asleep ; yet we ask, w r ould he have 
felt no emotions of surprise, of grief, 
of pain, to find her sleeping in such 
a place and in such a posture 1 
Would he not anxiously and tenderly 
have awakened her, and inquired of 
her welfare'? The man's conduct 
throughout is a riddle, which we 
know not how to solve. One thing 
however is certain. When the at- 
tack w r as made on the house, the 



woman his concubine was fallen 
down at the door of the house, 
and her hands were upon the 
threshold. 

28 And he said unto her, Up, 
and let us be going. But z none 
answered. Then the man took 
her up upon an ass, and the man 
rose up, and gat him unto his 
place. 

29 1T And when be was come 
into his house, he took a knife, 
and laid hold on his concubine, 

zch. 20 5. 

duty of the inmates was to have 
thrown themselves upon the protec- 
tion of Providence without yielding 
an iota to the demands of the detesta- 
ble ruffians without. If they could 
not have withstood their violence, 
but must have been overpowered by 
superior numbers, they had better 
have died calling upon God for 
mercy than to have baselyjeoparded 
the lives of feeble women to appease 
a ferocious rabble. That would 
have been the pious chivalry of true 
Israelites. The probability we think 
is, that Omnipotence would in some 
way have interposed for their rescue. 
27. Was j a lien down at the door of 
the house. While we cannot but be 
moved with deep compassion in view 
of the hard lot and the miserable end 
of this unhappy woman, yet the 
righteous judgment of God is not to 
be overlooked in this her closing 
scene. She had sinned, and she now 
suffers. Though her father and her 
husband had both forgiven her, yet 
God remembered against her her 
fault when she was consigned to the 
hands of these ruthless monsters. 
We may hope, however, though it be 
almost hoping against hope, that her 
soul w r as touched with penitence at 
the eleventh hour, and that when she 
fell with outstretched arms upon the 
threshold it was with a fervent sup- 
plication for the divine forgiveness 
But the justice of God in this melan 
choly event does by no means exten- 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XX. 



383 



and a divided her, together with 
her bones, into twelve pieces, and 
sent her into all the coasts of 
Israel. 

30 And it was so, that all that 
saw it, said, There was no such 
deed done nor seen from the day 
that the children of Israel came 

a oh. 20. 6. See 1 Sara. 11. 7. 



uate the enormous wickedness of the 
men of Gibeah in executing it, than 
which nothing could be more barba- 
rous and inhuman. 

29. Divided her — into twelve pieces, 
and sent her, &c. It is to be pre- 
sumed that with the pieces he sent to 
each tribe a circumstantial account 
of the barbarity of the men of Gibeah, 
which had deprived him of his wife. 
To our ideas there is something 
peculiarly shocking in the proce- 
dure, but it was doubtless in accord- 
ance with the notions of the times, 
and as there was no supreme magis- 
trate to whom to appeal for redress, 
it was probably the most effectual 
method of rousing the nation to take 
up the Levite's cause as one that 
concerned them all. It was a meas- 
ure in fact that seems to have been 
considered as putting the twelve 
tribes under an anathema, and sol- 
emnly binding them, on pain of 
being themselves dealt with in the 
same manner, to avenge the horrible 
outrage. The whole nation accord- 
ingly instantly understood it as a 
universal anathema, and entered into 
an indissoluble covenant to see jus- 
tice done to the injured Levite. 
This appears from the fact of the 
tribes actually taking up arms, as 
they did — from thei r swearing before 
the ark not to return to their tents or 
into their houses, till they had pun- 
ished the offenders, ch. 20. 8, 9 — from 
their putting to the sword all that 
remained in Gibeah, both man and 
beast, and burning all the cities and 
towns of Benjamin, ch. 20. 48 — from 
their swearing with an imprecation 
not to give their daughters in mar- 



up out of the land of Egypt unto 
this day : consider of it, Make 
advice, and speak your minds. 



CHAPTER XX. 
'pHEN -all the children of Is. 
"*• rael went out, and the con- 
gregation was gathered together 

b ch. 20 7. Prov. 13 10. a Deut. 13. 12. Josh. 
22. 12 ch. 21. 5. 1 Sam. 11. 7. 



riage to the sons of Benjamin, and 
cursing him who should do so, ch. 
21. 1 — 18 — and finally from their en- 
gaging themselves by a terrible oath 
to kill every Israelite who should 
not take arms against the Benjamites, 
ch. 21. 5. These are all marks of a 
solemn act of anathema, and in no 
other light can the transaction be 
rightly viewed. See ' Scripture 
Illustrations,' p. 146. 

30. There teas no such deed done nor 
seen, &c. Its enormity was unpar- 
alleled, and they were struck dumb 
and confounded, as it were, at the 
bare mention of it. It seems accord- 
ingly to have passed into a proverb ; 
— ' They have deeply corrupted 
themselves as in the days of Gibeah' 
Hos. 9. 9. II Consider of it, take 
advice, and speak your minds. Heb. 
' put it to yourselves, take counsel 
upon it, and speak.' This was the 
prelude to the council held and the 
measures adopted, which are recited 
in the following chapter. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. From Dan even to Bcersheba, 
loith the land of Gilead. From the 
utmost borders of the land in every 
direction. By the land of Gilead is 
meant the trans-Jordanic region, 
where were planted the tribes of 
Reuben and Gad and the half tribe 
of Manasseh. The convention 
seems not to have been summoned 
together by any superintending head, 
but by the consent and agreement, 
as it were, of one common heart, 
prompted by a holy zeal for the Lord 
of hosts and the honor of Israel. 
IT Unto the Lord in Mizpeh. The 



384 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



as one man, from b Dan even to 
Beer-sheba, with the land of Gi- 
lead, unto the Lord c in Mizpeh. 
2 And the chief of all the 
people, even of all the tribes of 
Israel, presented themselves in 
the assembly of the people of 
God, four hundred thousand foot- 
men d that drew sword. 

bch. 18. 29. 1 Sam. 3. 20. 2 Sam. 3. 10. & 24. 2- 
e Judg. iO. 17. & 11. 11. 1 Sam. 7. 5. & 10. 17. d ch. 
8. 10. 



usual import of the phrase mrP ^a 
to the Lord is the same with hjBjj 
fTirr before the Lord, i. e. before the 
tabernacle, or in the presence of the 
ark of the covenant, where God was 
wont to be inquired of by his people.. 
But as the ark was now at Shiloh 
and not at Mizpeh, it has been sup- 
posed by many commentators that 
the phrase ' unto or before the Lord,' 
may signify simply meeting in the 
name of the Lord, to consult him and 
offer up prayers and supplications. 
But although it is true that God is 
wherever his people are piously as- 
sembled in his name, yet so uniform 
throughout the Scriptures is the 
sense of the phrase given above, that 
we are averse to departing from it 
in this instance. By comparing v. 
18, it would appear that they did not 
immediately resort to the tabernacle, 
but assembled first at Mizpeh and 
thence went up to the house of the 
Lord either at Shiloh or Bethel. 
The expression however ' were gath- 
ered unto the Lord' is warranted by 
the fact, that it formed a part of their 
plan to consult the oracle in refer- 
ence to their present expedition. 
The Mizpeh here mentioned was a 
place in the borders of Judah and 
Benjamin and therefore semetimes 
spoken of as belonging to the one 
and sometimes to the other, Josh. 15. 
38 and 18. 26. It was but a short 
distance from Shiloh. 

2. The chief of all the people, even 
of all the tribes of Israel. The orig- 
inal exhibits a very remarkable 
phraseology ; — ' The corners (rftDp 



3 (Now the children of Ben- 
jamin heard that the children of 
Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) 
Then said the children of Israel, 
Tell us, how was this wicked- 
ness ? 

4 And the Levite, the husband 
of the woman that was slain, 
answered and said, e I came into 

e ch. 19. 15. 



pinnoth) of the people, all the tribes 
of Israel,' where the ' corners' or 
chiefs of the people are identified 
with the tribes themselves, instead 
of being distinguished from them as 
is erroneously done in our transla- 
tion by the gratuitous insertion of 
the word ' of before ' all the tribes.' 
This is evident from its being im- 
mediately said that they were as- 
sembled to the number of four hun- 
dred thousand, which certainly can- 
not be meant of the chiefs alone. 
See on ch. 10. 18. The leaders of a 
community, as the Scriptures re- 
present government, are merely 
the executive organs of the mass 
of the people, having no inter- 
est or will separate from theirs. 
The term ' corners' here employed 
is a metaphor taken from the corn- 
er-stones of a building, which are its 
main support. What these corner- 
stones are to a material fabric, the 
chiefs of the tribes were to the tribes 
themselves. Comp. 1 Sam. 14. 38. 
Is. 19. 13. IT In the assembly of the 
people of God. Heb. ijip,Gr.e/f*fXi7j(a, 
the usual word for church, as if from 
the object of their meeting they had 
convened ecclesiastically, or as a 
religious assembly. This is confirm- 
ed by the qualifying adjunct, 'peo- 
ple of God.' Though the occasion 
was a very exciting one, and they 
were in danger of giving way to un- 
hallowed passion, yet they did not 
forget that they came together as 
c the people of God,' and were bound 
to demean themselves accordingly. 
Christians sometimes lose sight of 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XX. 



385 



Gibeah that belongeth to Benja- 
min, I and my concubine to 
lodge. 

5 f And the men of Gibeah 
rose against me, and beset the 
house round about upon me by- 
night, and thought to have slain 
me : sand my concubine have 
they forced, that she is dead. 

6 And h I took my concubine, 
and cut her in pieces, and sent 
her throughout all the country 
of the inheritance of Israel : for 
they ihave committed lewdness 
and folly in Israel. 

7 Behold, ye are all children 
of Israel ; k give here your advice 
and counsel. 

8 IF And all the people arose 
as one man, saying, We will not 
any of us go to his tent, neither 
will we any of us turn into his 
house : 

fch. 19 2-2. g ch. 19. 25. 26. h ch. 19. 29. i Jc 
7. 13. k ch. 19. 30. 



this in their public assemblies, and 
consequently act very much out of 
character. 

3. The children of Benjamin heard, 
&c. But they paid little or no at- 
tencion to it. Though they had 
probably received a formal sum- 
mons like the rest of their brethren, 
yet they heeded it not ; they took no 
steps towards healing the breach 
that had occurred, and preventing 
the consequences that ensued; on 
the contrary, they were rather har- 
dened and exasperated than other- 
wise by the proceedings of the 
other tribes. IT Then said the 
children of Israel, Tell us, &c. Heb. 
' tell ye us,' pi. a general challenge 
to any one, or to all who were ac- 
quainted with the facts, to come for- 
ward and testify to them. 

4. And the Levite. Heb. 'and the 
man, the Levite.' He and his ser- 
vant, and the old man his host were 

33* 



9 But now this shall be the 
thing which we will do to Gi- 
beah : we will go up by lot 
against it ; 

10 And we will take ten men 
of a hundred throughout all the 
tribes of Israel, and a hundred 
of a thousand, and a thousand 
out of ten thousand, to fetch 
victual for the people, that they 
may do, when they come to Gi- 
beah of Benjamin, according to 
all the folly that they have 
wrought in Israel. 

11 So all the men of Israel 
were gathered against the city, 
knit together as one man. 

12 IT iAnd the tribes of Israel 
sent men through all the tribe 
of Benjamin, saying, What wick- 
ednes is this that is done among 
you ? 

13 Now therefore deliver us 

IDeut. 13. 14. Josh. 22. 13, 16. 



undoubtedly all present, prepared to 
unite in the same statement. The 
Levite's narration of facts, made 
'without preface or passion,' is re- 
markable for its brevity and direct- 
ness. He speaks like a man who 
felt that he had no need to employ 
oratorical arts to work upon the 
feelings of his hearers and excite 
their just indignation. The bare 
recital of the facts themselves would 
be sufficient. 

5. Thought to have slain me. In 
case I should refuse to accede to 
their vile wishes. IT Forced. Heb. 
' humbled.' 

8. We will not any of us go to his 
tent. We will have satisfaction for 
this wickedness before we return 
home, 

10. To fetch victual for the people. 
A tenth part of them were selected 
to provide food and forage for the 
army, which might thus be wholly 



386 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



the men, m the children of Belial, 
which are in Gibeah, that we 
may put them to death, and 
n put away evil from Israel. 
But the children of Benjamin 
would not hearken to the voice 
of their brethren the children of 
Israel : 

14 But the children of Benja- 
min gathered themselves togeth- 
er out of the cities unto Gibeah, 
to go cut to battle against the 
children of Israel. 

15 And the children of Ben- 
jamin were numbered at that 
time out of the cities twenty and 



\m Den 



V\ 13. ch. 19. 22. n Dent. 17. 12. 



six thousand men that drew 
sword, besides the inhabitants of 
Gibeah, which were numbered 
seven hundred chosen men. 

16 Among all this people 
there were seven hundred chosen 
men °left-handed ; every one 
could sling stones at a hair- 
breadth, and not miss. 

17 And the men of Israel, be- 
sides Benjamin, were numbered 
four hundred thousand men that 
drew sword : all these were men 
of war. 

18 IT And the children of Is- 
rael arose, and Pwent up to the 

och. 3. 15. lChr.12. 2. p ver. 21,26. 



occupied in punishing the inhabi- 
tants of Gibeah. 

13. The children of Benjamin 
would not hearken. Thus in effect 
bringing the whole tribe to be par- 
takers of the guilt of the men of 
Gibeah. By thus refusing to com- 
ply with the just and reasonable re- 
quisition of their brethren they 
virtually said ; ' We will stand by 
them in what they have done ; nay, 
we would ourselves have acted the 
same part had we been present.' It 
is difficult to conceive a case of 
more hardened and aggravated de- 
pravity than this. ' Who would not 
have iooked that the hands of Ben- 
jamin should have been first on 
Gibeah ; and that they should have 
readily sent the heads of the offend- 
ers for a second service after the 
fragments of the concubine 1 But 
now instead of punishing the sin, 
they patronize the actors, and will 
rather die in resisting justice, than 
live and prosper in furthering it ! 
The abetting of evil is worse than 
the commission ; this may be on in- 
firmity, but that must be on resolu- 
tion. Easy punishment is too much 
favor to sin ; connivance is much 
worse; but the defence of it, and 
that unto blood, is intolerable.' Bp. 
Hall. 



16. Left handed. Heb. ' shut or 
obstructed of the right hand.' See 
note on ch. 3. 15. It is somewhat of 
a curious circumstance, that Benja- 
min, which signifies the son of the 
right hand, should have had so much 
of a left handed posterity. IF And 
not miss. Heb. atsFP fitl*T- ^T- Kat 
ovk £^a[xapravovTeg and not sin : thus 
affording a clue to the true import of 
the word sin, viz. missing the mark, 
erring from one's scope. This is 
well expressed in the New Testa- 
ment by afxapravo), from a negative, 
and fjLapTTTO), to hit the mark. To 
love, serve, and enjoy God is ' our be- 
ing's end and aim' which the sinner 
his course of transgression, misses^ 
and too often, alas ! to his final un- 
doing. 

18. The children of Israel arose 
and went up to the house of God. 
Heb. itf-n^3 Bethel, w 7 hich some 
expositors take to be the place so de- 
nominated, supposing that the ark 
had been removed thither on this 
occasion from Shiloh. And it must 
be admitted that there is some force 
in the remark of Rosenmuller, that 
the habitation of the ark is elsewhere 
uniformly called E^ili^n f!^ an d 
in no other instance ^ p^ as here. 
Still, as we can see no sufficient rea- 
son for such a transfer of the taber- 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XX. 



387 



house of God, and tasked coun- 
sel of God, and said, Which of 
us shall go up first to the battle 
against the children of Benja- 
min 1 And the Loud said, Judah 
shall go up first. 

19 And the children of Israel 
rose up in the morning, and en- 
camped against Gibeah. 

20 And the men of Israel 
went out to battle against Benja- 

q Num.27. 21. ch. 1. 1. 



min ; and the men of Israel put 
themselves in array to fight 
against them at Gibeah. 

21 And r the children of Ben- 
jamin came forth out of Gibeah, 
and destroyed clown to the 
ground of the Israelites that day 
twenty and two thousand men. 

22 And the people, the men 
of Israel, encouraged themselves, 
and set their battle again in 

r Gen.. 49. 27. 



nacle at this time, we abide by the 
sense given in our translation, and 
suppose that the ' house of God' at 
Shiloh is intended. This place was 
very near to Mizpeth, where they 
were now assembled, and the enter- 
prise in which they were now en- 
gaged was altogether too important 
to allow them to think of engaging 
in it without previously taking coun- 
sel of God. But the defective man- 
ner in which this was done will ap- 
pear very strikingly in the sequel. 
IT Which of us shall go up first, &c. 
It will be observed that they do not 
ask whether they shall go up at all, 
which undoub:edly ought to have 
been their first inquiry on an occa- 
sion of so much importance. But 
confiding in the justness of their 
cause, they take it for granted that 
all is right in resorting to arms 
against their brethren, and merely 
inquire who should take the lead in 
the expedition, about which it is not 
unlikely there had been some con- 
tention in the assembly. For wise 
reasons the Most High was pleased 
to leave them to learn their error, 
or at least their precipitance in this 
respect, by the event. He says in 
reply, not'as our translation has it, 
1 Judah (shall go up) first,' but simp- 
ly ninro nTirp Judah (is) in the 
precedency, q. d. ' Judah has already, 
ch. 1. 2, been constituted leader of 
the tribes, the pre-eminence in 
every important point has been be- 
fore assigned to that tribe ; of what 
use then is inquiry on that head 



now V This answer, instead of be- 
ing rightly construed as implying 
the divine approbation of their pro- 
ceedings, is rather to be regarded as 
a sovereign connivance in their rash- 
ness. Designing undoubtedly to 
bring about the punishment of the 
mass of the people for their guilty 
toleration of the idolatry established 
in Dan, he is pleased for the present 
to ' choose their delusions.' It may 
be admitted that apart from their de- 
linquency in sparing the Danites, 
they had justly incurred defeat by 
their precipitate entrance upon the 
war, but God in his righteous pro- 
vidence often makes a lesser sin the 
occasion of punishing a greater, and 
yet no iniquity can be laid to his 
charge. A decaying tree, which 
has withstood the violence of many 
a tempest, may at last be blown 
down by the merest breath of wind. 
Let no sinner from long forbearance 
promise himself final impunity. 
1 Man knoweth not his time ; as the 
fishes that are taken in an evil net, 
and as the birds that are caught in 
the snare ; so are the sons of men 
snared in an evil time, when it fall- 
eth suddenly upon them.' 

22 The men of Israel encourag- 
ed themselves. Heb. ' strengthened 
themselves;' i. e. assumed fresh 
courage. Attributing the recent de- 
feat to some misconduct which the}* 
conceive themselves able to remedy, 
they are altogether sanguine in view 
of the result of another engagement. 
IT In the place where they put them* 



388 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



array in the place where they 
put themselves in array the first 
day. 

23 ( s And the children of Is- 
rael went up and wept before the 
Lord until even, and asked coun- 
sel of the Lord, saying, Shall I 
go up again to battle against 
the b children of Benjamin my 



selves in array the first day. Deter- 
mined, it would seem, to retrieve the 
disgrace of their failure on the very 
spot where it had been incurred. 
Should they succeed in a second con- 
flict under the same circumstances, it 
would effectually wipe away the 
ignominy contracted by the issue of 
the first. 

23. Went up and wept before the 
Lord. Yet all their arrangements 
for battle had been previously made, 
and they seem now to have consulted 
God, as some men consult the Scrip- 
tures, to establish a previously formed 
opinion. It was not to learn their 
duty in the first instance, but to ob- 
tain sanction for a measure upon 
which they had already resolved. 
They should have deferred making 
their preparations till after they had 
made their confession and taken 
counsel. Their tears and lamenta- 
tions under these circumstances 
availed them nothing; at least, did 
not secure them from defeat ; and as 
in their self-confidence, they made 
no inquiry as to success, nor invok- 
ed assistance, God gave them no pro- 
mise on that score. IF And the Lord 
said, Go up against him* As if he 
had said, ' You have good cause for 
going up against them, ihey have 
justly rendered themselves liable to 
punishment ;' and yet the result 
plainly proves, that he did not design 
hereby to convey to them any inti- 
mation that his blessing or protec- 
tion would accompany them, so long 
as they were not duly humbled and 
penitent for their sins, and thus pre- 
pared for success. The permission, 



brother ? And the Lord said, Go 
up against him.) 

24 And the children of Israel 
came near against the children 
of Benjamin the second day. 

25 And tBenjamin went forth 
against them out of Gibeah the 
second day, and destroyed down 
to the ground of the children of 



therefore, to go up was similar to 
that given to Balaam to go with the 
elders of Moab — a mere tolerance, 
not an approbation, of the step, as 
viewed in connection ivith the motives 
by which it was prompted. Seeing 
them resolved to go forward at all 
events, he was pleased to exercise his 
prerogative and return to them an 
answer apparently coinciding with 
their wishes, and capable of being so 
understood, as to mislead them, in 
case the perverseness of their hearts 
should put such a construction upon 
it. But there was no necessity for 
their misinterpreting the oracle, and 
God is still to be accounted righ- 
teous, though his words or his ways 
may prove an occasion of stumbling 
to those whose hearts are already 
predisposed to it. He is under no 
obligation to correct the erroneous 
impressions of those who * draw 
near to him with their lips while 
their hearts are far from him.' 

25. Destroyed — again eighteen 
thousand men, The remarks already 
made above will serve to throw light 
upon the reasons of this disastrous 
issue of a cause in itself good. God 
had ulterior designs to effect beyond 
the merited punishment of the Ben- 
jamites. He had great moral les- 
sons to teach, not to the men of that 
age only, but to the most distant gen- 
erations. Especially may we sup- 
pose that he proposed by such a re- 
sult to impress upon our minds the 
conviction, that the success of any 
cause depends not solely upon its. in- 
trinsic goodness, but also upon its 
being conducted with a right spirit 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XX. 



389 



Israel again eighteen thousand 
men ; all these drew the sword. 
26 H Then all the children of 
Israel, and all the people, u went 
up, and came unto the house of 
God, and wept, and sat there be- 
fore the Lord and fasted that day 



and by proper means. Israel had 
ample grounds for proceeding to ex- 
tremities against their offending 
brethren, and yet from not going for- 
ward in an acceptable manner they 
met with a terrible rebuke when they 
least expected it; and not only so, 
for a time the cause of the wicked 
seemed to triumph. The Prophet 
Hosea, ch. 10. 9, in allusion to this 
event says, ' The battle in Gibeah 
against the children of iniquity did 
not overtake them,' i. e. did not at 
first overtake them, and any one 
who should have witnessed the two 
defeats of Israel would have been 
ready to conclude that the cause for 
which victory had decided was 
right. But we are not to judge from 
events. Righteousness is not always 
triumphani in this world. It may 
be oppressed, and the supporters of 
it for a long time foiled in their la- 
bors and apparently trodden under 
foot ; but though cast down, they 
shall not be destroyed; a day is at 
hand when God will vindicate his 
own cause, and evince the equity of 
all his dispensations. In the mean 
time, let us make the unalterable 
word of God the rule of our judg- 
ment as wel: as of our actions, and 
we can never go far amiss. 

26. Went up, and came unto the house 
of God. and wept, &c. Confounded 
by these repeated strokes of adve'rse 
providence, they are led at length to 
' accomplish a more diligent search' 
into the true causes of the sad dis- 
aster which had befallen them. 
They see now that they had trusted 
too much to the goodness of their 
cause and the superiority of their 
numbers. They are now convinced 
that they ought to have begun at the 



until even, and offered burnt-of- 
ferings and peace-offerings be- 
fore the Lord. 

27 And the children of Israel 
inquired of the Lord, (for x the 
ark of the covenant of God was 
there in those days, 



outset with repentance and refor- 
mation, with solemn sacrifices and 
earnest supplications, instead of 
rushing forward with unhumbled 
hearts, reckless of their own apos- 
tacies, and prompted by a zeal for 
God in which was largely mingled 
the 'strange fire' of human resent- 
ment. The consequence is, that in 
deep affliction they now compass 
God's altar, abasing their souls un- 
der the sense of conscious guilt, re- 
jecting every vain confidence, be- 
wailing not so much their losses as 
the unwonhiness which had caused 
them, and devoutly imploring that 
aid which they had before so rashly 
taken for granted. This was the 
right method of procedure, and the 
happy fruits of their weeping and 
fasting begin at once to appear. 
Being brought to a proper frame of 
spirit they are prepared to receive 
the blessing, and the Most High ac- 
cordingly gives them positive assu- 
rance of success ; ' Go up, for to-mor- 
row I will deliver them into thine 
hand.' Whenever a soul, in true 
humiliation, is brought low before 
God, the end of its calamities is at 
hand; the day of deliverance has 
already dawned. l\Sat there before 
the Lord. Implying either that they 
assumed the usual posture of mour- 
ners, Lam. 1. 1. Ps 137. I, or that 
they abode there, as the same phrase 
is rendered ch. 21. 12, during the 
whole day, in the exercise of un- 
feigned contrition of spirit, or per- 
haps more properly both. Every 
thing in the phraseology eonveys 
the idea that their repentance was 
deep, thorough, and sincere. Ex- 
traordinary cases require extraor- 
dinary acts of self-abasement and 



390 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



28 yAnd Phineas the son of 
Eieazar, the son of Aaron, z stood 
before it in those d ivs,) saying, 
Shall I yet again go out to battle 
against the children of Benjamin 
my brother, or shall I cease ? 
And the Lord said, Go up ; for 
to-morrow I will deliver them 
into thy hand. 

29 And Israel a set Hers in 
wait round about Gibeah. 

30 And the children of Israel 
went up against the children of 
Benjamin on the third day, and 
put themselves in array against 
Gibeah, as at other times. 

y Josh 24. 33. z Deut 10. 8. & 18 5 a osh. 8. A. 



godly sorrow. Men are often but 
little aware how deep their spiritual 
wounds need to be probed in order I 
to effect a perfect cure. We are apt 
to heal the hurts of our souls too | 
slightly. Probably one great design 
of this narrative was to teach us that 
God often sees beneath a fair ex- 
terior an amount of corruption, 
which an ordinary or superficial re- 
pentance will not avail to remove., 

28. Phineas — stood before it in 
those days. Or, Heb. ' before him,' 
i. e. God. ' Standing,' or ' standing 
before' any one, is a Scriptural term 
for ministering, as appears from 
Deut. 10. 8. — 18. 7. Prov. 22 29. 
Jer. 52. 12, compared with 2 Kings 
25. 8, in the former of which the 
original for ' served* is 'stood before.' 
This was the same Phineas who 
so remarkably signalized his zeal 
for the glory of God on a former 
occasion, Num. 25. Had this war 
occurred after the death of Sam- 
son, Phineas must now have been 
upwards of 300 years old; but it fell 
out between the death of Joshua and 
the first judge. 

29. Israel set Hers in wait. Not- 
withstanding the express promise 
which had been given them of suc- 
cess, yet they expected it not without 
the use of the proper means. Divine 



31 And the children of Benja- 
min went out against the people, 
and were drawn away from the 
city ; and they began to smite of 
the people, and kill, as at other 
times, in the highways, of which 
one goeth up to the house of 
God, and the other to Gibeah in 
the field, about thirty men of Is- 
rael. 

32 And the children of Ben- 
jamin said, They are smitten 
down before us, as at the first. 
But the children of Israel said, 
Let us flee, and draw them from 
the city unto the highways. 



assurances rightly received, instead 
of leading to remissness and pre- 
sumption, will never fail to inspire 
every prudent precaution. The 
management of the stratagem here 
employed is very largely described 
in the* ensuing verses, but it is suf- 
ficient to say that in its general fea- 
tures it was very similar to that em- 
ployed with so much success by 
Joshua in the taking of Ai, Josh. ch. 
8. 1—29. ' When God hath used 
Benjamin to execute his justice 
against Israel for not punishing 
idolatry; he then useth Israel to 
punish Benjamin, for not delivering 
Gibeah up to justice.' Light foot. 

31. Were draivn aioay from the 
city. By the feigned flight of a por- 
tion of the invaders. IT Beiran to 
smite of the people, and kill, as at 
other times. Heb. ' began to smite of 
the people wounded, as at other 
times;' i. e. to smite so as mortally 
to wound them; a Hebraic idiom 
of not uncommon occurrence. See 
on ch. 15. 19. U In the high- 

ways. That is, perhaps, ( in the 
meeting of the ways.' The subse- 
quent phrase, ' in the field,' instead 
of being connected with Gibeah, 
ought, we imagine, to be connected 
with { highways,' implying that this 
junction of ways or roads was at 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XX. 



391 



33 And all the men of Israel I 
rose up out of their place, and 
put themselves in array at Baal- 
tamar : and the liers in wait of 
Israel came forth out of their 
places, even out of the meadows 
of Gibeah. 

34 And there came against 
Gibeah ten thousand chosen men 
out of all Israel, and the battle 
was sore : b but they knew not 
that, evil was near them. 

35 And the Lord smote Ben- 
jamin before Israel : and the 
children of Israel destroyed of 
the Benjamites that day twenty 
and five thousand and a hundred 
men : all these drew the sword. 

36 So the children of Benja- 
min saw that they were smitten : 
c ib\' the men of Israel gave place 
to the Benjamites, because they 
trusted unto the liers id wait 
which they had set beside Gib- 
eah. 

37 d And the liers in wait 
hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah ; 

b Josh. 8. 14. Is. 47. 11. c J. sh. 8. 15 A la*b. 8. '9. 

considerable distance from the cily 
of Gibeah. It is difficult to conceive 
what is meant by ' Gibeah in the 
field," as the city so called was un- 
doubtedly situated on a hill, and we 
have no intimation of any other 
place of the same name situated ' in 
the field.' 

33. Out of the meadows of Gibeah. 
Heb. $23 m>?3?3 more properly 
rendered ' caves of Gibeah,' for how 
could an ambuscade be placed in 
meadows'? The details of the nar- 
rative, included v. 31—43, are ex- 
tremely perplexed, and we despair 
of being able by any explanation to 
simplify them. The general drift of 
the writer, however, is evident, and 
to understand that is perhaps suffi- 
cient. 



and the liers in wait drew them- 
selves along, and smote all the 
city with the edge of the sword. 

38 Now there was an ap- 
pointed sign between the men of 
Israel and the liers in wait, that 
tiey should make a great flame 
with smoke to rise up out of the 
city. 

39 And when the men of Is- 
rael retired in the battle, Benja- 
min began to smite and kill of 
the men of Israel about thirty 
persons : for they said, Surely 
they are smitten down before us, 
as in the first battle. 

40 But when the flame began 
to arise up out of thn city with 
a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites 
e looked behind them, and behold 
the flame of the city ascended up 
to heaven. 

41 And when the men of Is- 
rael turned again, the men of 
Benjamin were amazed : for they 
saw that evil was come upon 
them. 

e Josh. 8 20. 



35. The Lord smote, &c. In this 
verse the sacred writer relates the 
event of the b ittle in general terms. 
In the sequel he resumes the story, 
giving the particulars of the battle, 
and the consequences of the victory 
more in detail. 

37. Drew themselves along. Ex- 
tended themselves. We have only 
to conceive of a dense mass of men 
hitherto confined to a narrow com- 
pass suddenly stretching themselves 
out in a long train, and rapidly urg- 
ing their way to the city. 

38. A great flame with smoke. 
Heb. ' a great elevation of smoke.' 
So also v 40. 

40. The flame of the city ascended 
up. Heb ' the whole, the entireness 
of the city ascended.' The general 



392 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



42 Therefore they turned 
their backs before the men of 
Israel unto the way of the wil- 
derness ; but the battle overtook 
them ; and them which came 
out of the cities they destroyed 
in the midst of them. 

43 Tkus they enclosed the 
Benjamites round about, and 
chased them, and trode them 
down with ease over against 
Gibeah toward the sun-rising. 

44 And there fell of Benjamin 
eighteen thousand men ; all these 
were men of valor. 

45 And they turned and fled 



sense, but not the exact meaning of 
the Hebrew, is preserved in our 
translation. 

42. Turned their backs before the 
men of Israel^ &c. Undoubtedly an 
erroneous rendering. As we read 
the original, instead of turning their 
backs they turned their faces towards 
the enemy. Seeing their city on fire 
and all hope cut off in that quarter,' 
they again face the enemy with a 
determination, if possible, to cut a 
passage through them, and escape 
to the wilderness. But while at- 
tempting this, the ambjsh from the 
city (here according to a Hebrew 
idiom, ch. 12. 7. called ' cities') fell 
upon them in the rear ; so that they 
were properly said to be ' destroyed 
in the midst of them,' i. e. between 
the two divisions. 

45. They turned and fled towards 
the wilderness unto the rock of Rim- 
mon. A small remnant escaped, 
notwithstanding every effort to pre- 
vent it, and fled to the rock of Rim- 
mon, supposed to lie in the wilder- 
ness of Judah. about twenty-six 
miles southwest of Jerusalem. If 
Gleaned of them in the highways. 
Cut off all the stragglers that they 
found scattered here and there over 
the country. The metaphor is high- 
ly expressive, implying that they 



toward the wilderness unto the 
rock of f Rimmon : and they 
gleaned of them in the highways 
five thousand men ; and pursued 
hard after them unto Gidom, and 
slew two thousand men of them. 

46 So that all which fell that 
day of Benjamin were twenty 
and five thousand men that drew 
the sword ; all these were men 
of valor. 

47 sBut six hundred men 
turned and fled to the wilderness 
unto the rock Rimmon, and 
abode in the rock Rimmon four 
months. 

fJosh. 15. 32. gch. 21. 13. 



were cut off as clean as a field or a 
vineyard that has been gleaned after 
the harvest or the vintage has been 
gathered in. 

46. Twenty and Jive thousand. 
The additional hundred mentioned 
v. 35 is here omitted, and merely the 
round number retained. There 
lacks also another thousand to make 
out the whole force of the Benja- 
mites as given v. 15, but these are 
supposed to have fallen in the two 
former battles, and so are omitted 
here, where he speaks only of those 
slain in the third day. 

47. The rock of Rimmon. This 
was doubtless some strong rocky 
hold or fastness, but where situated 
is uncertain. It is probable, how- 
ever, that it was near, and took its 
name from the village of, Rimmon, 
mentioned by Eusebius, fifteen miles 
north from Jerusalem. It appears 
that rocks are still resorted to in the 
East as places of security, and some 
of them are even capable of sustain- 
ing a siege. De la Roque says, that 
the Grand Seignior, wishing to 
seize the person of the Emir (Fak- 
addin, prince of the Druzes), gave 
orders to the pacha to take him pri- 
soner ; he accordingly came in search 
of him with a new army, in the dis- 
trict of Cheuf, which is part of 



C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



393 



4S And the men of Israel 
turned again upon the ehildren 
of Benjamin, and smote them 
with the edge of the swo'rd, as 
well the men of every city, as 
the beast, and all that came to 
hand : also they set on fire all 
the cities that they came to. 



mount Lebanon, wherein is the 
village of Gesin, and close to it the 
rock which served for a retreat to 
the emir. The pacha pressed the 
emir so closely, that this unfortu- 
nate prince was obliged to shut him- 
self up in a cleft of a great rock with 
a small number of his officers. The 
pacha besieged them for several 
months ; and was going to blow up 
the rock with a mine, when the 
emir capitulated. (Bagster.) 

48. Smote them with the edge of the 
sword, &c. Probably the excessive 
severity of the slangbter on this oc- 
casion, considered as the act of Is- 
rael, cannot be justified ; and so they 
themselves seem to have viewed it 
after their passions had had time to 
cool. ch. 21. 3. The crime of the 
men of Gibeah was indeed great, 
but it does not appear to have been 
sufficient to warrant the extirpation 
of a whole tribe. Considered, how- 
ever, as the sovereign allotment of 
Jehovah we must acquiesce in it as 
a dispensation to the justice of which 
we can make no reply. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. The men of Israel had sworn, 
&c. At the commencement of the 
war, when assembled at Mizpeh. 
We have no previous account of this 
oath, but it is plainly of a piece with 
the general precipitancy and rash- 
ness which characterised their con- 
duct on this occasion, and serves 
still farther to account for the sad 
discomfiture which marked the out- 
set of their enterprise. The oath, 
which as appears from v. 18, was 
attended with an execration, was not 
probably made with the design of 
34 



CHAPTER XXL 

"jVTOW a the men of Israel had 
sworn in Mizpeh, saying, 
There shall not any of us give 
his daughter unto Benjamin to 
wife. 

2 And the people came b to 
the house of God, and abode 

ach. 20. I. bch. 20. It, 96. 

extirpating the tribe, for it supposes 
that some of the Benjamites might 
survive, and if so, they might mar- 
ry the surviving women of their 
own tribe ; but it merely expresses a 
general determination to treat the 
actors and abettors of the horrid 
deed perpetrated at Gibeah, as they 
would treat the worst of the devoted 
Canaanites, with whom they were 
utterly forbidden to intermarry. 
Their own subsequent conduct, how- 
ever, as related in the present chap- 
ter, proves that they were sensible of 
having gone too far, and reminds 
us of the fact, that when our spirits 
are exasperated we too often say and 
do that which in our calmer mo- 
ments we wish unsaid and undone. 
Nothing more requires the control- 
ling influence of the wisdom which 
is from above, than the impulses of 
an ardent zeal. ' There may be 
over-doing in well-doing. That is 
no good divinity which swallows up 
humanity.' Henry. 

2. Lifted up their voices, and ivept 
sore. They found but melancholy 
matter for triumph in their recent 
victory. It was an event not to be 
celebrated by the voice of joy and 
praise, but by that of lamentation 
and mourning and woe. Having 
satisfied their revenge, they now ex- 
perience the truth of the remark, 
that * strong passions make work 
for repentance.' Still they did well 
in appealing to God in their ex- 
tremity. His infinite compassion 
allows us to have recourse to him 
to repair the breaches which our 
own folly and infatuation have made. 
Provided we are truly penitent in 
view of the past, we may say to 



394 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1406. 



there mi even before God, and 
lifted up their voices, and wept 
sore; 

3 And said, O Lord God of 
Israel, why is this come to pass 
in Israel, that there should be to- 
day one tribe lacking in Israel ? 

4 And it came to pass on the 
morrow, that the people rose 

him of the desolations we have 
wrought, ' This ruin, be under thy 
hand,' i. e. under thy remedial, thy 
restoring, hand. 

3. Why is this come to pass in Is- 
rael, &c. This, if we regard the 
mere letter, has somewhat the air 
of irreverent remonstrance or ex- 
postulation with God, for suffering 
such a calamity to befall his people ; 
but considering the penitent frame 
of mind in which they were now 
assembled, we know not how to at- 
tribute to them so gross an impiety 
as this interpretation would suppose. 
We take it rather as an expression 
of mingled self-reproach and sup- 
plication, equivalent to saying, ' Al- 
as ! how is it possible that we could 
have been guilty of such an outrage ! 
that we should have uttered a vow 
involving such a necessity as the 
virtual extinction of a tribe! O 
Lord God, is there no way of extri- 
cation from the dilemna in which 
we have so thoughtlessly ensnared 
ourselves'?' The prayer evidently 
implies the belief on their part, that 
it would be more offensive in the 
eyes of heaven if they should persist 
in adhering to their rash purpose, 
than if they should renounce it, and 
yet the burden of a solemn obligation 
rests upon their consciences, from 
w T hich they dare not deem them- 
selves released except by a divine 
dispensation. See note on Josh. 
9.15. 

4. Built there an altar. There was 
undoubtedly an altar already estab- 
lished at Shiloh for the ordinary 
round of services, but the probablity 
is, that they now built one of larger 



early and, c built there an altar, 
and offered burnt-offerings, and 
peace-offerings. 

5 A'nd trie children of Israel 
said, Who is there among all the 
tribes of Israel that came not up 
with the congregation unto the 
Lord ? d For they had made a 
great oath t concerning him that 



c 2 Sam. 24, 25. 



dimensions than the other, in order 
to accomodate the greater multi- 
tude of sacrifices which they pro- 
posed to offer on this occasion. A 
similar measure, we learn 1 Kings, 
8. 64, was adopted by Solomon for a 
similar reason. The motives by 
which they were governed made the 
step lawful. The altar was erected, 
not in competition, but in commu- 
nion, with that already established 
at the door of the tabernacle. 

5. Had made a great oath, &c. 
That is, an oath attended with a 
fearful execration, an anathema, 
against him who should fall under 
its effects. They now begin to per- 
ceive a clue to guide them out of 
the labyrinth of perplexity in which 
they were previously involved. 
Whether this expedient was divine- 
ly suggested, we are not informed. 
IT He shall surely be put to death. A 
severe sentence, but perhaps just 
under the circumstances. Indiffer- 
ence to so aggravated a crime as 
that of the men of Gibeah showed 
an extremely depraved state of mo- 
ral feeling, and their brethren could 
not but look upon their refusal to 
aid in bringing the offenders to con- 
dign punishment as a virtual sanc- 
tion of the deed. They felt bound, 
therefore, to proceed against them 
just as if they had personally shared 
in the guilt of the heinous transac- 
tion. Yet we know not that the 
actual execution of their oath in the 
indiscriminate slaughter of men, 
married women, and children, is to 
be any more excused than the pre- 
vious unsparing destruction of the 
Benjamites. Without presuming 



A. C. 1406.] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



395 



came not up to the Lord to 
Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely 
be put to death. 

6 And the children of Israel 
repented them for Benjamin their 
brother, and said, There is one 
trihe cut off from Israel this day. 

7 How shall we do for wives 
for them that remain, seeing we 
have sworn by the Lord, that 
we will not give them of our 
daughters to wives ? 



to denominate the passions by which 
they were prompted ' cursed,' as did 
Jacob the spirit of Simeon and Levi 
in their conduct towards the Shech- 
emites, we may still say in the pat- 
riarch's language of { their anger, it 
was fierce, and their wrath it was 
cruel.' 

6. Titer e is one trihe cut off from 
Israel this day. Likely to be cut off; 
that will be' cut off, unless some 
measures are taken to prevent it. 
For it appears from the next verse, 
though nowhere expressly asserted, 
that they had destroyed all the wo- 
men of Benjamin, and as only the 
small remnant of six hundred men 
remained, who had fied to the rock* 
of Rimmon, there was evident dan- 
ger of the extinction of the whole 
tribe. But this was an event not to 
be thought of, if it were possible to 
prevent it. ' God had taken care of 
every tribe; their number twelve 
was that which they were known by ; 
every tribe had his station appointed 
in the camp, and his stone in the 
high priest's breastplate ; every tribe 
had his blessing both from Jacob and 
Moses, and it would be an intoler- 
able reproach to them, if they should 
drop any out of this illustrious jury, 
and lose one out of twelve; especi- 
ally Benjamin, the youngest, who 
was especially dear "to Jacob their 
common ancestor, and whom all the 
rest ought to have been in a particu- 
lar manner tender of. Benjamin is 
not ; what then will become of Ja- 



8 1T And they said, What one 
is there of the tribes of Israel 
that came not up to Mizpeh to 
the Lord ? and behold, there 
came none to the camp from 
e Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. 

9 For the people were num- 
bered, and behold there were 
none of the inhabitants of Jabesh- 
gilead there. 

10 And the congregation sent 
thither twelve thousand men o^. 

el Sam. 11. 1 & 3\. 11. 



cob 1 Benjamin becomes a Benoni ; 
the son of the right hand, a son of 
sorrow!' Henry. 

8. There came none to the camp 
from Jabesh-gilead. This was a 
city of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 
east of Jordan, situated on a hill near 
Mount Gilead, about fifteen miles 
east of Jordan, and about an equal 
distance south of Gadara. It was 
not far from the lake of Genesaret. 
Eusebius and Jerome say that it was 
a large town in their time, standing 
upon a hill six miles south of Pella, 
in the way to Gerasa, now Djerash. 
The Wadi Yabes, mentioned by 
Burckhardt, which empties itself 
into the Jordan, in the neighborhood 
of Bisan or Bethshan, and upon 
which Pella was situated, seems to 
have taken its name from Jabesh. 
Near this spot therefore w T e must 
look for its site ; and the place called 
Kalaut Rabbad seems to correspond 
very nearly to the spot ; though it 
probably still retains, among the 
Arabs, its ancient name. (Bagster.) 

10. Sent thither twelve thousand 
men of the raliantsst. Heb. ' of the 
sons of might, or prowess. 5 It is 
seriously to be questioned whether 
they were justifiable in resolving 
upon such a summary mode of ven- 
geance, without any previous in- 
quiry, or giving them any oppor- 
tunity of defence. The presumption, 
it is true, was decidedly against 
the men of Jabesh-gilead, yet it is 
still possible that they might hava 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 1400, 



the valiantest, and commanded 
thercv saying, f Go and smite the 
inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with 
the edge of the sword, with the 
women and the children. 

11 And this is the thing that 
ye shall do, sYe shall utterly 
destroy every male, and every 
woman that hath lain by man. 

12 And they found among 
the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 
four hundred young virgins that 
had known no man by lying 
with any male : and they 
brought them unto the camp to 

f ver 5. & ch. 5. 23. 1 Sam. 11. 7. g Num. 31. 17. 



been able to plead some extenuating 
circumstances in their behalf, and if 
so, they certainly should have had 
an opportunity afforded them. But 
when the passions are vehemently 
excited, men are prone to be carried 
beyond all bounds of equity or de- 
corum, and the Israelites in this in- 
stance appear to have committed a 
second crime to repair the conse- 
quences of a first. 

11. That hath lain by man. Heb. 
1 knowing, or having experience of 
the lying by man.' This order ex- 
cepted of course the virgins from its 
effects. They were perhaps influ- 
enced in this by the precedent re- 
corded Num. 31. 17, 18, where Mo- 
ses, when he sent the same number 
of men to avenge the Lord upon 
Midian, gave it in charge, as here, 
that all the married women should 
be slain with their husbands, but 
that the virgins should be preserved 
alive. We may suppose the un- 
married maidens to have been easily 
distinguishable by their mode of 
dress from the married women. 

12. Four hundred young virgins. 
Heb. 'four hundred young women, 
virgins.' Unmarried, but marriage- 
able. It is to be presumed that all 
other younger females were also 
spared. IT Shiloh which is in the 
land of Canaan. Thus particularly 



b Shiloh, which is in the land of 
Canaan. 

13 And the whole congrega- 
tion sent some to speak to the 
children of Benjamin 'that were 
in the rock Rimmon, and to call 
peaceably unto them. 

14 And Benjamin came again 
at that time ; and they gave 
them wives which they had 
saved alive of the women of Ja- 
besh-gilead and yet so they suf- 
ficed them not. 

15 And the people k repented 
them for Benjamin, because that 



designated, because Jabesh-Gilead 
was not situated in Canaan proper, 
but in the land of Gilead east of the 
Jordan. 

13. In the rock Rimmon. That is, 
in a cave in the rock of which they 
made a fastness^ and there vigorous- 
ly maintained their position. IF 
To call peaceably unto them. Heb. 
* to proclaim peace unto them.' Arab. 
1 saluting them and giving them a 
pledge.' To assure them that their for- 
mer enmity was now extinguished, 
and that they might now with safety 
leave their strong hold. They had es- 
caped the slaughter and been thus far 
preserved by the special providence 
of God to prevent the utter extinc- 
tion of the tribe. Had the Israelites 
succeeded to the utmost of their 
wishes, they would have cut them 
off entirely. 

14. Benjamin came again. The 
scanty remnant of the tribe returned 
from their place of retreat; assured of 
safety, they came again into the midst 
of Israel. H Yet so they sufficed not. 
Heb. ' and they found not for them 
so;' i. e. found not enough; there 
was still a remainder of two hun- 
dred left unsupplied. 

15. The people repented them. Ra- 
ther, ' commiserated, or were griev- 
ed about Benjamin their brother.' V 
The Lord had made. Had permitted 



A. C. 1 106.] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



397 



the Lord had made a breach in 
the tribes of Israel. 

16 IT Then the elders of the 
congregation said, How shall we 
do for wives for them that remain, 
seeing the women a.e destroyed 
out of Benjamin ? 

17 And they said, There must- 
be an inheritance for them that 
be escaped of Benjamin, that a 



to be made, had so ordered things 
in his providence that a breach was 
made. The divine permissions are 
incessantly spoken of in the Scrip- 
tures as positive acts. The same 
event which is referred to men as far 
as it is a sin, is referred to God as 
far as it is a punishment. It is in 
this sense that the prophet's language 
is to be interpreted, ' Is there evil in 
the city, and the Lord hath not done 
it?' 

17. There must be an inheritance 
for them that be escaped of Benjamin. 
Or, Heb. { the inheritance (i. e. of 
the whole tribe of Benjamin) (is or 
belongs to) the escaped remnant of 
Benjamin.' We must therefore pro- 
cure wives for them all, that they 
may be capable of possessing and 
cultivating the whole of their ter- 
ritory. 

19. A feast of the Lord in Shiloh. 
That is, a festival. In modern ac- 
ceptation, 'feast' implies a banquet 
or eating entertainment, but this is 
not necessarily included in the 
Scriptural sense of the term. It 
often means no more than a festive 
occasion however celebrated, and 
probably has that import here. But 
what particular sblemnity is intend- 
ed it is impossible to determine. It 
might have been either the passover, 
pentecost, or feast of tabernacles, all 
of which were celebrated at that 
time of the year when the vines were 
in full leaf, so that the Benjamites 
might easily conceal themselves in 
the vineyards. ITOt the north side 
of Bethel. This is a particular in- 
34* 



tribe be not destroyed out of Is- 
rael. 

18 Howbeit, we may not give 
them wives of our daughters : 
ifor the children of Israel have 
sworn, saying, Cursed be he that 
gtVeth a wife to Benjamin. 

19 Then they said, Behold, 
there is a feast of the Lord in 
Shiloh yearly in a place winch 

1 ver. I. Jii'lg. 11. 35. 

dication of the situation, not of Shi- 
loh, but of the place in the neighbor- 
hood where the young women were 
likely to come to dance. It is prob- 
ably thus precisely described, .that 
the Benjamites might not mistake 
the place. It was not certain that 
the young women would come there 
(v. 21), but it was probable, the cus- 
tom being common. The Orientals 
generally have no places in their 
towns, where assemblies may be 
held for festivity and dancing. It is 
therefore customary to hold such 
assemblies in some pleasant places 
in the neighborhood, in the gardens 
or plantations, or in small valleys, 
if there be any. This is a favorite 
mode of enjoyment with the women. 
There are certain occasions of an- 
nual reccurrence in which the wo- 
men are allowed this indulgence in 
the fullest extent, and thus they form 
large parties, which go out to amuse 
themselves with music, dancing, 
and such other recreations as are 
common among females. The ap- 
proaches of the place where they 
assemble are now usually guarded 
by eunuchs to prevent intrusion. 
The different sexes never partici- 
pate in each other's amusements; 
and this was the case in the times of 
the Bible : for we never read of any 
amusement or festivity in which they 
mingled ; and if men had in this in- 
stance been present with the daugh- 
ters of Shiloh, the Benjamites would 
not so easily have secured their prey. 
{Pict. Bible.) IT Lebonah. Maund- 
drell supposes the site of the ancient 



398 



JUDGES. 



[A. C. 14C6 



is on the north side of Beth-el, 
on the east side of the highway 
that goeth up from Beth -el to 
Shechem, and on the south of 
Lebonah. 

20 Therefore they command- 
ed the children of Benjamin, say- 
ing, Go, and lie in wait in the 
vineyards ; 

21 And see, and behold, if 
the daughters of Shiloh come 
out m to dance in dances, then 
come ye out of the vineyards, 
and catch you every man his 
wife of the daughters of Shiloh, 



m See Ex. 15. 20. 
31. 13. 



ch. 11. 34. 1 Sam. 18. ( 



Lebonah to be occupied either by 
Khan Leben, situated on the eastern 
side of a 'delicious vale, 5 four 
leagues south from Shechem, and 
two leagues north from Bethel, or 
by the village of Leban which is on 
the opposite side. It is eight hours, 
or about twenty-four miles from 
Jerusalem, according to Dr. Rich- 
ardson. 

21. Catch you every man his wife. 
Heb. ' a woman, his wife.' Seize and 
carry off a woman, whom he is, from 
that hour, to consider as his wife. 

22. Be favorable unto them for our 
sokes. Rather, Heb. ' be gracious 
to us with them, or, as it respects 
them.' The reasons urged for this 
clemency they go on immediately to 
state. ^Because we reserved not to 
each man his ivife in the ivar. Inti- 
mating that they were conscious of 
having done wrong in the indiscri- 
minate slaughter of the women of 
Benjamin ; that they ought at least 
to have reserved enough to furnish 
wives for the remnant that survived. 
By this construction of their vow 
not to match with them, they would 
if possible atone for the rashness of 
their vow to destroy them. IT Ye 
did not give, unto them at this time 
that ye should be guilty. By not 
giving your daughters or sisters 
roluntarily, ye have avoided the 



and go to the land of Benjamin* 

22 And it shall he. when their 
fathers or their brethren come 
unto us to complain, that we 
will say unto them, Be favor- 
able unto them for our sakes : 
because we reserved not to each 
man his wife in the war : for ye 
did not give unto them at this 
time, that ye should be guilty. 

23 And the children of Ben- 
jamin did so, and took them wives, 
according to their number, of 
them that danced, whom they 
caught : and they went and re- 



guilt of violating your solemn vow. 
As they were taken by force and 
fraud without your knowledge or 
consent, you have no reason to blame 
yourselves for the transaction, and 
the exigency of the case is so press- 
ing, that it behooves all parties to sub- 
mit to it in silence. Of the measure 
in general we can only say, that al- 
though they escaped by it the literal 
breach of their vow, yet it was in 
fact an actual evasion of it, and one 
tending to give direct license to 
fraud, violence, and the marriage of 
children without the consent of their 
parents. The incident, however, 
extenuated by circumstances, adds 
one more to the numerous proofs 
afforded by holy writ of the weak- 
ness, the folly, and pernicious con- 
sequences of precipitate vows. 

23. Went and returned unto their 
inheritance. Although the end can 
never justify the means, yet in the 
present case the abducted maidens 
of Israel probably had no cause in 
the issue to rue the lot which had 
made them wives against their wills, 
or at least without their consent. 
The Benjamites seem to have acted 
towards them in the most honorable 
manner, and as the six hundred men 
shared by survivorship the inheri- 
tance of many thousands, they were 
probably better provided for in the 



A. C. 1405.] 



CHAPTER XXL 



399 



turned unto their inheritance, 
and D repaired the cities, and 
dwelt in them. 

24 And the children of Israel 
departed thence at that time, 
every man to his tribe and to 
his family, and they went out 

n ch. 20 43. 

things of this world, than if they had 
married within the bounds of their 
own tribes. But man's evil is evil 
still, though God in his sovereignty 
may bring good out of it. 

24. Every man to his tribe. By 
comparing this with ch. 20. 47, it 
appears that although this was at 
least four months after the war with 
Benjamin, yet the forces did not dis- 
band themselves and retire to their 
homes, till the affair of the remnant 
of that tribe was finally and peace- 
ably adjusted. 

25. No king in Israel. Repeated 



from thence every man to his 
inheritance. 

25 °In those days there was 
no king in Israel : Pevery man 
did that which was right in his 
own eyes. 



o ch. 17. 6. & 18. 
17.6. 



. & 19 1. p Deut 12. 8 ch. 



undoubtedly in order to account for 
the disorders and enormities i elated 
in the preceding chapters. The 
writer informs us that these events 
occurred in a time of complete an- 
archy when every man did that 
which was right in his own eyes — 
the only apology that could be offer- 
ed for such atrocious scenes. Such 
an impartial relation of facts so 
highly discreditable to his own na- 
tion affords the strongest proof of 
the truth and authenticity of the 
whole narrative. 



INDEX OF PHRASES. 



Abiding among the sheep-folds, what meant thereby 

Anathema, term explained 

Ancient, epithet how applied to the river Kishon 

And, used for even 

Angel of the Lord, what the import of the phrase . 

Arising, what implied by it in Scripture 

Arising to defend, what meant by phrase 

Ark of the covenant, called by the name of the Lord 

Ashamed, in what sense term used in Scripture . 

Before the Lord, equivalent to before the sanctuary 

Blessing, what meant by giving one . 

Border, in what sense term used .... 

Borders of Jordan, what implied by phrase 

Bringing one low, what meant by it . 

Building a city, used for repairing it . 

Cannot serve the Lord, what meant by the expression 

Carriage, used for baggage 

Casting one's life, what meant by the phrase 

Cattle and tents, what implied under these terms 

Children raised up instead of their fathers, what meant by 

Circumcising again, how to be understood . 

City, how often to be understood in Scripture style 

Cleaving a hollow place in the jaw, what meant by the 

Coast going out, words explained . 

Could not drive out, phrase how used . 

Covering the feet, what meant by the expression 

Cutting down, original term how used . 

Describing in a book, phrase how used . 

Discomfited, term how to be understood 

Divisions of Reuben, phrase how to be understood 

Drawing a band or army of men, what implied by the 

Embassador, import of the word in Hebrew . 

Encamping, in what sense term used . 

Falling, how spoken of a lot 

Find, used in the sense of attack, encounter . 

Fire coming out of the bramble, phrase explained 

Fortifying the city, in what sense phrase used 

Gather, see rere-ward 

Give for one's self, phrase explained 
Giving glory to God, what meant thereby . 
Go out, phrase how used .... 
God being with one, what implied in phrase , 



phrase 



term 



Page. 

. 238 
. 51 
. 241 
. 86 
. 198 
. 67 
.296 
. 31 
• 214 
. 168 
. 127 
. 142 
. 154 
. 315 
. 145 
. 175 
. 373 
. 237 
. 248 
. 41 
. 39 
. 47 
. 351 
. 144 
. 132 
. 213 
. 133 
. 138 
87,224 
. 237 
. 237 
. 77 
. 247 
. 129 
. 190 
. 286 
. 291 



136 
62 

100 
15 



402 INDEX OF PHRASFS. 

Going in, phrase how sometimes used 368 

Great, in what sense applied to Zidon 102 

Grief, in what sense ascribed to God 299 

Groves, used for gods of the grove 206 

Handling the pen of the writer, what meant by phrase .... 237 

Harlot, Rahab one 20 

Heads of fathers, phrase explained 147 

Hearken, Scriptural usage in regard to the term 18 

Heart, hardening of, explained 106 

Hinnom, valley of the son of, name explained . . . . 124 

Inherit and disinherit, original terms for 163 

Jeoparding one's life unto death, what meant by phrase . . . 239 

Jerusalem, origin and import of the name 84 

Judging Israel, what meant by phrase . 208 

Keeping alive, what meant by the expression 119 

Knowing, used for making known 206 

Lamenting Jephthah's daughter, what meant by phrase . . . 320 

Lapping water like a dog, method of, described 263 

Law departing not out of one's mouth, what meant by phrase . . 14 
Loosing the shoe from one's foot, what denoted by it . . .45 

Lordly dish, what meant by phrase 243 

Lordships or Satrapies of the Philistines, what meant by phrase . .111 

Lot, how said to come out 122, 139 

Magnifying one, what meant by phrase 30, 36 

Make war, import of the phrase 87, 170 

Making dens, phrase how to be interpreted 246 

Many days, how phrase to be understood 105 

Melting, in what sense spoken of the heart 25 

Men at one's feet, what meant by phrase 222 

Men of Israel, in what sense phrase to be understood . . . .77 
Mentioning the name of a god, what meant by phrase . . . 164 

Middle of the river, unusual sense of the phrase 108 

Mountain, for mountainous region 147 

Mouth, according to, meaning of the phrase 137 

Moving of the Spirit, what meant by phrase . . . . . 385 
Moving the tongue, phrase how to be understood . . . .94 

Name, term how used in the Scripture 332 

Neck, putting the feet upon the, phrase how to be interpreted . . 95 

Officers, term explained . . 16 

Opening the mouth to the Lord, what meant by phrase . . . 315 

Ordering a child when born, what meant by phrase .... 330 

Outgoin gs, import of the term . . 134 

Ox~goad import of the original term 215 

Peace, used for welfare in general .*..... 255 

People and princes identified : 300 

Perishing alone in one's iniquity, what meant by phrase . . . 158 
Ploughing with one's heifer, what meant by phrase . , . . 344 

Possessing, in what sense term used 194 

Prosper, in what sense term used . 14 

Proving his people, the Lord's, what meant by phrase .... 204 

Putting away false gods, phrase explained 172, 176 

Putting ones life in his hand, what meant by phrase .... 323 
Raising up judges and deliverers, in what sense to be understood 203, 207 

Reigning, term how employed . . 2S8 

Rendering one's wickedness, requiting it 295 

Repentance, how ascribed to God 203 



INDEX OP PHRASES. 



403 



Reproach of the Egyptians, rolling away of, what it means 
Requiring a sin, what meant by phrase 
Rere-ward, what the import of the term 
Resting from war, what implied in the words 

Riddle, Samson's, explained 

Right in one's eyes, to be, phrase how to be interpreted 

Save alive, phrase how to be understood 

Say, used in the sense of purpose, intend 

Second bullock, what meant thereby .... 

See, in the sense of consider, contemplate 

Seeing, in what other sense used in Scripture 

Seeking an occasion against one, what meant by phrase 

Selling a people, what meant by phrase, 

Sent on foot into the valley, what meant by the expression 

Servant, in what sense used . . . 

Setting a statute, what meant by phrase 

Shoes clouted, phrase how to be understood . 

Silence, import of the Hebrew word for . . . 

Sitting, used for dwelling 

Slacking one's hand, import of the phrase 

Smitting hip and thigh, what meant by phrase 

Sowing a city with salt, what denoted thereby 

Spirit of the Lord coming upon one, what meant by phrase 

Stand before one, how to be understood 

Stars fighting from heaven, what meant by phrase 

Strange woman, what meant by phrase 

Strength, cities standing in, import of the expression . 

Stroke, at one, phrase how to be understood 

Subdue, expressive import of the original . 

Tail, how employed in Hebrew 

Taking gain of money, what meant by phrase 

Taking honey from bees, in what sense expressed of Samson 

Teaching by thorns and briers, what meant by phrase . 

Tents for settled habitations .... 

Touch, in the sense of hurt, injure 

Treading down strength, what meant by phrase 

Trouble, how spoken of Achan 

Turning again to one, what meant by it 

Turning, how ascribed to God 

Vain men, import of the term 

Vexing, in what sense used . 

Vows, different kinds of 

Uncleanness of a land, what meant by phrase 

Uttering words before the Lord, what meant by phrase , 

Wedge of gold, term explained ..*.-. 

Would dwell, spoken of the determination of the Canaanites 






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